Simmering before Sunday

Rod Cooper, Billy Graham and yours truly are all boys raised on a dairy farm who grew up to be Baptist preachers.  Yes, Billy is in a class all by himself but something Rod wrote about his experience growing up hit home with me. 

Rod, like me and Billy, had to get up very early to help with the morning milking. By the time he came to the house for breakfast his mom had often started a pot of soup for the day.  When Rod came in for lunch he always expected the soup to be ready, it smelled so wonderful.  When finding out the soup was for dinner, he asked why do we have to wait on it all day.  To which his mom would reply, "Son, it needs to simmer so we get all the juices out of all the ingredients.  And then they're all mixed together and it gives off this wonderful aroma so when you taste it, you're getting the best of what's in each ingredient."

Rod observed that is the way he has begun to see worship.  God's people at their best have been simmering in His presence all week.  Then when we come together on Sunday morning we mix all of it together to give God something pleasing, bringing the best out of each ingredient; 'a pleasing aroma to God.'

That is a good way to think of worship.  That is a good way to approach worship.  And that is a good way to approach each day.  Simmering for Sunday.  Try it this week.

"For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved..."  2 Corinthians 2:15

For the journey...