DRIVING AWAY THE VULTURES WHEN YOU WORSHIP

In Genesis 15, Abraham is offering a heifer, goat, ram, turtledove, and pigeon on an altar.  This was the way you worshipped in Abraham’s day.  As a matter of course, Abraham was cutting all but the birds in half in preparation to worship when the buzzards buzzed the sacrifices.  Almost as a footnote, Moses writes, “The birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away” (Gen. 15:11).

Have you ever had to do that when you worshipped?  Maybe, you’ve prepared for worship and are actively engaged in it when the vultures try to descend.  That bird of prey might be a noise in the auditorium, an uninvited thought, an action by another worshipper or a worship leader, the room temperature, some type of visual distraction, or almost any other sort of external or internal intrusion.  But, these things can become the predators that pick at, sabotage, or consume our worship.  Our thoughts and attitudes can be adversely affected to the point that we fail to offer God acceptable worship.

Sometimes, you have to shoo away those birds of prey.  Swoop into action.  Pray.  Redouble your concentration.  Give yourself a mental pep talk, reminding yourself why you are assembled.  Do not let the vultures violate your veneration!  Fight off the distractions, annoyances, and aggravations!  You will be the better for that effort, and God will be pleased with what you offer.

–Neal Pollard