McWorship

“Hello and welcome to McWorship… can I take your order?”

“Ah, yes, I’d like the full meal deal. One sanctuary full of energy and enthusiasm (someone else’s), stuffed with the works – praise band, worship leader, worship team, choir… Layer on a rousing sermon, and throw in some hi-tech touches. And it’s been a hard week, so supersize the whole thing. I’ll eat that right here… And to go, I’d like a McWrap of peace with a hi-carb feeling…”

McWorship. Entering the sanctuary with one thing in mind – getting what we want, conveniently and instantly.

That’s not you? Surely we’re all guilty to some degree. God’s peace is so enjoyable, His music is so inspiring, His Word is so challenging, that it’s tempting to get our eyes off God and focus on those feelings. Soon we’re pulling into the FAC driveway, anticipating not a meeting with Him, but an infusion of good feelings. They’re what we’re hungry for, why we bite eagerly into our Sunday morning McWorship.

We’ve lowered our sights. Once we focus on the feelings, our attention turns inward. Are they serving what I need? Am I being satisfied? Will I leave here with a full spirit – gotten at a discount price?

Good grief, we would never say those things in so many words. But if our “meal” isn’t delivered as ordered, aren’t we a little disgruntled? Searching for someone to blame? Who didn’t flip the burger fast enough to fill our little order? Who withheld our inspiring word from the Lord?

We need to take a good long look at ourselves. For worship is an action verb – our action, not God’s or the pastor’s or anybody else’s. It’s the giving of our attention and intense love and admiration and adoration to God alone. Never fear, the feelings will follow in God’s plan. He is “the giving God” (James 1:5 Amp), and He will not be outgiven by His children.

Such worship is in order 24/7, not just Sunday mornings. Our body is the temple of the Lord. We are always in the sanctuary.

The question is, what are we doing in there? Ordering McWorship? Or giving ourselves to the Creator of the universe and Redeemer of our souls, who is forever to be praised….