Friday, April 22, 2011: Tuning Out To Tune In

    We were a noisy group of second and third graders Wednesday night in children's choir, but our noise and movement served an important purpose. Six children each played a different instrument from different locations in our choir room while the majority of the remaining children were to keep their eyes on the director and sing "You Are God." Meanwhile, two blindfolded children tried to find an assigned instrument. Was this too much to ask of second and third graders? Apparently, but the children will join the first, fourth and fifth graders to sing "You Are God" with the adult choir in Sunday morning worship service in a week and we needed to practice the skill of tuning out distractions.   
     Is it too much to ask believers to practice the skill of tuning out distractions to worship God? Apparently, because during 28 years serving with Tom in ministry I've learned people (including me) are easily distracted from worship by:
    *the climate in the sanctuary;
    *the preacher's tie; 
    *self-consciousness or discomfort because of clothing;
    *the floral arrangement;
    *song choices or music styles;
    *feeling alone in a crowd;
    *a visitor who's "different;"
    *what's for lunch;
    *the gossip we heard in Sunday School, or in the vestibule;
    *our plans, or lack of plans, for the coming week;
    *sports scores from yesterday or what's on ESPN today;
    *how to avoid speaking to certain people while catching the people avoiding us;
    *thinking of people we hope are "getting" the message; and,
    *the people in the congregation who've caused us or ours hurt or anger; and, 
    *_________________(add your most challenging distraction).
If we struggle to tune out distractions in worship services and Bible studies designed to help us focus on our Director, our God, then heaven help us with tuning out distractions to stay in tune with God the other 164 hours of the week. 
    The week of the Passion of Jesus Christ reveals a Savior who tuned out a barrage of noisy, painful distractions to focus only on His Father and His Father's Will. Imagine worshiping and obeying God if you knew your life would end in public humiliation and unbearable pain in less than a week. Imagine tuning out the screaming mockers and hypocrites to hear the Voice of God and stick to the Plan. Imagine praying anything but "please, Father, no - take this away from Me and find another way." Imagine watching your closest friends scatter and leave you to face your angry enemies alone. Imagine the weight of the world's sin pressing down on you, yet drawing enough breath to say what must be said to fulfill Scripture. 
     If you reread the list of distractions we fuss about in the typical 2011 worship service you'll see nothing compares to the distractions Jesus faced to loving the Father and loving us. It's time to practice the skill of tuning out distractions to tune in to what Jesus did for us so this Easter Sunday will be anything but a typical 2011 worship service.       
Sovereign God, forgive us for our lack of attention span and help us consciously focus on staying in tune to You and with You today. Every distraction pulls us down and every moment we tune in to You lifts us into Your Presence and helps us better know You and Your Will. Transform us from wimpy worshipers to wholehearted worshipers of Your Glory, Your Grace, Your Gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ. May Your Presence resonate with each worshiper this Sunday. Your Will be done!
In the Name of Jesus, our Savior Who's attention to us has and will span eternity!   
Inspired by Jesus Calling
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