On Friday nights at midnight I attend a little something called Midnight Worship. This is where Christians come together at an unusual time and worship our loving Father. Along with worship, there is usually someone who does a sermon. I look forward to it every Friday because I like seeing how everyone worships in a different way and is so free spirited. No one cares how another is worshiping because we are all worshiping the same one true God.
With that said, this past Friday something different happened. I was singing and I noticed a guy with a deep voice is talking to his friend behind me. At first, I didn't think much of it, I just hoped that he didn't talk for long. But that's exactly what he did. He eventually stopped talking and I thought he was done, but then he started talking again.
These people not only were talking during the worship but also when the speaker was sharing what he had to say. I feel like at this moment God was testing my patience. I kept looking back at them hoping to get the message through that they were talking kind of loud and I could hear them. They didn't stop. I was tempted to say something or "shhhh" them but something inside of me said I shouldn't do that.
Eventually the guy behind me (the same one that was talking throughout worship) decided to pull out his phone during the service. What has this world come to that we can't go an hour without our phone? I didn't understand why he was being so distracting (talking and going on his phone) when Midnight Worship is something totally optional.
Then I thought to myself that he is not the only one who does this. At Abilene Christian University, it is required to get a certain number of chapel credits. Some people use this thirty minutes to do homework or to go on social media on their phones. Why can't we put away every care and worry and just praise God wholeheartedly? Why do we idolize our phone?
I want to live for God and I want to give him all my attention when attending things like chapel, Midnight Worship, and even church. I CAN give my cares, worries and concerns to God for just one hour, and so can you. We should be a people that puts meaning into what being a Christian actually is. What does it mean to be a Christian to you?
"Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." Mark 12:30 (NIV)
Much Love,
Angela Paige
