Do I Worship A Schedule?
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Sometimes I wonder if I worship a schedule or if I worship God.
I lead a writers’ guild at my church. Last night was our monthly meeting. I had a full agenda of things we needed to go over:
- I wanted to share a devotional word;
- then do some strategic planning;
- then discuss such all-important things as Facebook algorithms, SEO, and organizing a writing retreat;
- then discuss accountability goals for the next meeting, and much more.
I had a PLAN! I had put a lot of time and effort into making that plan, too. I knew all my subjects were important things that needed to happen LAST NIGHT.
Then God showed up.
In the middle of the devotional word, one of our visitors began asking how to reach people and encourage them to be on fire for the Lord. Then one of our members began talking about how she no longer has time to worship the Lord and abandon herself to Him like she used to. She broke down and wept.
For a minute, we got into a problem-solving discussion. But I could feel the Holy Spirit drawing us. I could hear Him asking me if we would be willing to go with Him and let Him draw us into prayer.
It shouldn’t have been a hard decision. After all, I prayed at the top of the meeting and told the Holy Spirit that we were turning the meeting, the room, and our hearts over to Him so He could lead us. I should have been glad He showed up, right?
It was a hard decision anyway.
I looked at my schedule. I had so many things to cover and so little time to do it! The agenda items were important, too!
But then it hit me like a ton of bricks:
If I stick with this schedule when God shows up, and refuse to follow what He is breathing on, then I worship a schedule instead of worshipping God.
Which one do I want?
Do I want to give Him lip service only? Do I want to follow Him only as long as I get my pre-conceived, pre-planned way?
Or will I act out my words? I tell Him that His presence is the most important thing. How can I therefore exalt my schedule above His Presence, above what He is breathing on?
I interrupted the problem-solving discussion, ditched the agenda, and asked everybody to follow the Holy Spirit and begin to pray.
The Holy Spirit sat down on us like I haven’t experienced in a long time. Weeping broke out all around the room. Travailing prayer broke out. People were laid out on the floor, or on their knees, or walking around singing a new song to the Lord.
It was beautiful. Nothing mattered except this one thing: that HE had shown up, and we were desperate for Him.
At the end of the day, isn’t that the only thing that’s important anyway? I wanted to camp around my schedule, my agenda. But God wanted us to camp around His presence.
I don’t worship a schedule. I worship God, and follow Him. But sometimes I need to be reminded of that.
“One thing I have desired of the Lord, that will I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple” (Psalm 27:4).
Who or what will you worship today? When God shows up at inconvenient times, will you follow Him? Or will you exalt your plan above the will and worship of God?
It’s food for thought. Sometimes, we all need to re-examine what’s really important.
Related: Are You Camped Around the Presence?
Jamie, thank you so much for your leadership. I had begun to feel estranged from God’s heart. I talk to Him and He speaks to me and has moved in miraculous ways recently in my life with the start up of ignitingfamilies.com. However I realized in this meeting that while He had been praying and supporting what was on my heart, i had not been listening to what was on His. He longs for me to intensely pray with Him over matters that break His heart but also to intensely celebrate victories! Instead of my poutly face or smiley face response, He wants me to fight with HIm and celebrate the victories. I want to be known as His friend and not His aquaintance. Thank you for your sensitivity to His calling and allowing Him to adjust our schedule.
Thank you for being so transparent, Madaline. I love your heart for the Lord. I think we all need to go back to our first love. I’m so grateful to the Lord for not giving up on us.