If we are to be a worshipping church when we gather we must be worshipping individuals first. Coming away from the world in a private spot, whether it be a bedroom, study or a utility room, on a daily basis is important for our inner life. We need to find that secret place where the surrounding noises of life fade out of our hearts and a sense of God's presence completely envelopes us. In that place we need to learn to pray inwardly every moment. We need to be candid, childlike, honest and humble before the Lord; being able to breathe a prayer at any moment.
On this Ash Wednesday the beginning of Lent is a good time to begin working on our spiritual concentration. We need to meditate on God's Word quietly, reverently and prayerfully during this important time of remembering what God has done through His Son. Our attitude in meditation should be, "Father, here I am. Please teach me!" Full concentration is really not so difficult for the person who has met God. God desires to fellowship with His child and God's child desires nothing more than the opportunity to pour our his or her love at the Savior's feet.
In our world today we tend to allow meaningless activity to crowd out inward worship. Even "religious activities" can crowd out time for cultivation of solitude and silence before God. We must desire to know God even as Paul expressed his deep desire. It is costly to spend this kind of time with God and find and explore the wonders of the Triune God. Meditating on the person of God is necessary.
Tozer says, "When we lift our inward eyes to gaze upon God we are sure to meet friendly eyes gazing back at us, for it is written . . . 'that the eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout all the earth.' The sweet language of experience is 'Thou, God, hast seen me' (Gen. 16:13). When the eyes of the soul looking out meet the eyes of God looking in, heaven has begun right here on this earth."
Whoever is willing to listen will hear the speaking of heaven. To a people caught in the torrent and tempest of the last great conflict, God says, "Be still and know that I am God" (Ps. 46:10). Inward worship will fire our corporate worship when we gather as the family of the God we have spent time with, listening intently to what He has to say to us through His Word, meditation and prayer. mjm
