“When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, so I answered: I’m at your service.” - 2 Samuel 1:7

“We must be more concerned with knowing Christ than with finding ourselves.” - Larry Crabb

Carla had been a member of the choir for a month before she quit. She’d joined the banner team and stayed for just one rehearsal. The puppet team and he drama group had also been graced by her brief visits. She offered to teach a creative arts class for children but dropped that after three lessons.

With much trepidation the music minister approached her when he learned that she wanted to be part of the handbell choir.

“Carla,” Steve began gently, “I’m not sure you understand the commitment you’d be asked to give this group. You seem to be having trhough finding a place of service in the worship arts.”

“I just wanted to be a part of something fun at church. I’m not looking to serve,” Carla replied.

“Maybe that’s the problem,” Steve said.

Lord, thank You for allowing us to sing songs, act in dramas, and play instruments in service to You.

“So we continued the work, while half of the men were holding spears from daybreak until the stars came out. At that time, I also said to the people, ‘Let everyone and his servant spend the night inside Jerusalem, so that they can stand guard by night and work by day.’” - Nehemiah 4:21-22

“Look at a stone cutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred-and-first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not the last blow that did it, but all that had gone before.” - Jacob Riis

Nehemiah persevered in his task of rebuilding the wall. He led all the workers to stay focused on their task. He made sure that they understood the seriousness of their responsibilities. Nehemiah helped them keep their minds on the purposes of God and off of all of the negative factors fighting against them.

An unknown author once wrote, “The road to success is dotted with many tempting parking places.” Today, make a point to persevere for Him instead of settling for mediocrity.

Lord, help me to be a person of perseverance.

“Right away Jesus understood in His spirit that they were reasoning lie this within themselves and said to them, ‘Why are you reasoning these things in your hears?” - Mark 2:8

“Worship reaches its hightest point whn God is being contemplated.” - Selwyn Hughes

It happens to all of us. Whether we are singing in choir, playing an instrument, or listening to a sermon. At some point in the worship service we suddenly wonder what we are having for lunch or whether we left our car windows rolled up or who’s going to win the ball game.

We don’t invite these random thoughts into our minds. They seem to sneak in without our consent. Suddenly the offering is being collected or it’s time to stand for the benediction and we wonder how we missed so much of the worship service.

As worship leaders, we need to understand that people’s minds will drift from time to time even in the most passionately presented times of worship. We can counter this by encouraging our congregations to capture moments with the Lord when they are presented by consciously thinking about God as they worship.

God, help us contemplate You as we worship.