And now congregation, let us meditate....

Psalms 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night. (NKJV)

I recently attended a service where the minister, before starting the service lead the congregation in meditation. We did some breathing exercises, were asked to think about all that we had on our minds, that which was weighing in our thoughts, and to begin to put those aside. To refresh our minds and open ourselves to the whispers of the inner voice (holy spirit).

While many conservative individuals might have been uncomfortable with this ceremony or ritual, I found it very refreshing. How many times have we walked in to a service with thoughts other than God on our minds. I could list a few, the fight we had on the way to church, the roast in the oven, and we could continue on and one. Yet, how many times do we go to a service where the minister, elder, announcer etc, takes a moment to affirm that we are all most likely burdened in mind and that we should all take a moment to be quiet, be still and begin to take captive of our thoughts in preparation to worship and listen to God. Instead we are rushed through announcements, hit with praise and worship songs and then lead into a passage with a few good stories and 4 points to take away. All being soundly forgotten over the afore mention roast, as you are trying to separate two fighting siblings.

Can we not slow down our efficient services? can we not lend time for reflection, meditation, a chance for Gods people to reclaim their sanity before attempting to bring forward our worship? I also submit that as we come to our services that we should be partaking in our own personal preparation for worship. But I have a larger concern that we are "quenching the spirit" when we allow our well oiled machine like services to run roughshod over the workings of the holy spirit, who is not on a time schedule and honestly is more important that the programmes that are being held that week.

I realize that I am probably just one voice in the desert yelling out, and therefore you all think i am crazy. However I cannot help but think that our services are about "us", they are programmed for US not GOD, they are designed so that WE would be happy not GOD, they get US in and out as painlessly as possible, so we can get out of these uncomfortable clothes. I have lots of questions, with little answers, but what I do know is that we need to start taking the "us" out of the assembling of the believers, and put the focus back on God. This doesn't mean better teaching, longer alter calls, more praise and worship songs. It means taking time at the very beginning to reflect, to empty the room of "us-ness", and our thoughts, our worries, our cares, and fill ourselves with peace, so that the indwelling presence of God might not be stifled.