Even though worship feels natural and free, sometimes it’s helpful to structure the times and places of worship so that the world doesn’t crowd out our time to be with the Lord. We can develop habits of worship just like we develop any other good habits. A great place to start is by using the power of choice that God gives to all of us. God makes us “choosers” so begin by choosing to put him first. Choose to surrender your heart. Choose to focus on him. Choose to set aside a certain time in the day for him and him alone. Never allow yourself to think in terms like “I know I should worship” or “I guess I ought to worship.” Suppose you told your husband, “I know we should get together sometime. I know we ought to spend time together.” How do you think that would make him feel? He probably wouldn’t get the feeling that you wanted to spend time with him, would he? Don’t let “should” and “ought” thoughts turn your precious time of worship into a dull obligation. Instead, teach yourself to look forward to every moment you get to spend with the Lord, just as you would look forward to time with your spouse or your best friend. The Lord is the very best friend you will ever have. Make the time you spend with him special. And let it delight you just as much as it delights him. You make dates with your other friends or with your spouse or with your children. Is the God of the universe less worthy of your time? The First Commandment says that the Lord wants to be the most important Person in your life (see Exodus 20:3). Make your very important date with him by setting aside a certain time or times to meet him during the day. Mark those times on your calendar. Then be very intentional about keeping your date with him. You might feel a little shy on your first date. That’s the way it is sometimes on first dates, isn’t it? But that’s okay. It will be exciting and even fun. And soon you’ll learn to love meeting him so much you wouldn’t miss it for anything. You’ll look forward to that special time more than any other time in your day. (excerpt from, “THRONE ROOM, Ushered into the Presence of God” by CeCe Winans, with Claire Cloninger)
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