When Worship and the World Collide
It happens constantly. In our hyper-busy world, there are so many things pressing for our time and attention. It used to be that worship times were pretty much free from other activities, such as school events or civic meetings. That is, simply put, no longer the case.
So, what are we to do when worship and the world’s schedule collide?
I can’t answer that for you, but I can tell you what I did as a kid and what we have decided as a family.
Worship wins.
When I was in high school, I was in the band. For a small-town band member, I was a fairly good trombone player. I qualified for state competitions a number of times and was in our all-county band all four years of high school. However, when it was time to decide who would be “first chair, second chair” and so on in our all-county band, I was never first chair.
Why? Was I not good enough? Did I just cave under the pressure? Did I forget how to read music? No. It was because our home congregation hosted a youth rally, and I was at the rally during “seating” time. It was more important to be last chair (or somewhere down the line anyway) and hear the Word of God than to be first chair and miss a chance to worship.
I also remember wearing my little league baseball uniform to Wednesday night Bible class and going to the game after class, just to pinch-hit in the final inning of a playoff game. We had already told the coach where we would be, but that I would be available if the game was still going on after classes were over. (Oh, and I walked and scored the winning run!)
I do not tell those stories to brag, but to share with you the impression those times made on me (and still do). I gave up somethings that were important because something far more important was occurring.
So, when I finished a Gospel Meeting a few years ago on a Sunday afternoon, we drove back home (at the time, in Nashville). We arrived in Nashville about 5:45 and decided to go to worship at our home congregation, despite having already been to two services that day. Why? In part, to teach our children that worship was the most important thing. We were exhausted, but we wanted them to know that worship wins.
Today, with the rise of social media, it is not unusual at all to see Christians post pictures and videos from all sorts of other places while their brothers and sisters in Christ are meeting for worship. Maybe it is their child’s sports banquet. Maybe it is a big music concert. Maybe it is a civic meeting. Maybe it is traveling for the holidays.
Worship loses.
Why do we tell our children that they need to be committed to the team (or squad or band or whatever), but that the Lord’s Army can just take a backseat, when part of being a Christian is a full, unalterable commitment? Why do we say that God is the number one priority in our life, only to miss worshipping Him for a meeting or concert or sporting event?
Maybe, if more Christians would stand up and say “no” to these things, the tide would turn. Instead of filling more hours of our weeks with worldly events, maybe the world would realize that some of the most talented people are going to be in worship, so they can just bend their schedule to ours.
But even if the world doesn’t change at all, what a lesson we would be teaching the world if we were absolutely consistent that nothing–not even the biggest game or the year-end celebration–came before our worship of our Creator. Do you not think people would notice and would wonder why we would always put worship first?
When we choose to live that way, worship wins. But it is far deeper.
We win, because we are putting our soul’s destiny as truly being the most important thing. After all, isn’t that what really matters most of all?
Worship wins.
“…not neglecting to meet together, a is the habit of some…” (Hebrews 10:25)
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AUTHOR: Adam Faughn
