The Details of Happy Birthday…and Worship

“I just want to have a simple birthday party…”   Yeah…right!

When is the last time you really planned, organized, and implemented a simple birthday party?  That simple party began with the plan to honor the person whose birthday it is. 

Next, you thought through the guest list and began writing down names.  Simple…right?  “Well…if I invite him, then it might make her feel badly if I do not invite his sister.  Oh yeah…if I invite her, then I will probably need to invite her brother.  If her brother comes, his girlfriend will probably come with him.”  The guest list turns into an emotionally and mentall taxing time of planning and strategy. 

Pheww…!  The guest list is finally done and took a lot more effort than you had planned.  What about the location?   Where can we have the party?  “Well, I think I’ll have it at my house.  That means I better schedule a half day off from work to mow grass, clean up, clean bathrooms, and make the house look nice for everyone.  Wait…I have a project at work due on Monday.  It will be hard to take that half day off.  I better plan to burn the midnight oil and clean the house the night before.  Can’t take the time off.”  House preparations have now been made. 

Next…let’s plan for simple food.  “With the people coming, I better plan for pizza, so I can afford it.  I also need a cake.  But, since I have to make time to clean the house, I will not have time to bake it.  Maybe I better ask someone else to bake it.  Or…maybe I’ll just pick one up from Baskin Robbins.  Yeah…an ice cream cake would be great.  Wait…I can’t pick it up early in the day, or it will melt.  I have to work out making time to pick it up on the way home and put it in the freezer.  I’ll have to work out that plan.”  Food preparations are made, but what about drinks, cups, plates?  “I better plan to run out to Wal Mart tonight and get that stufff.  Good thing it’s open 24 hours.” 

But…remember…this is just a simple birthday party for this person to honor him.  Simple…right?  Yeah…right.

Guess simple birthdays sometimes turn out to be a complex event with a lot of details most of the time.  All of these details are covered for one purpose:  To honor the person whose birthday it is. 

Here is a question:  Are you prepared to expend at least as much effort and detail toward honoring the Savior of the world that you are in acknowledging a friend or family member’s birthday? 

In Nehemiah 12:44-47 the service to praise God and glorify Him was being laid out.  It was a service to lift up the name of God for the finishing of the wall.  Read of just a few of the plans for this worship service.

“44  And at that time were some appointed over the chambers for the treasures, for the offerings, for the firstfruits, and for the tithes, to gather into them out of the fields of the cities the portions of the law for the priests and Levites: for Judah rejoiced for the priests and for the Levites that waited. 45  And both the singers and the porters kept the ward of their God, and the ward of the purification, according to the commandment of David, and of Solomon his son. 46  For in the days of David and Asaph of old there were chief of the singers, and songs of praise and thanksgiving unto God. 47  And all Israel in the days of Zerubbabel, and in the days of Nehemiah, gave the portions of the singers and the porters, every day his portion: and they sanctified holy things unto the Levites; and the Levites sanctified them unto the children of Aaron.”  (emphasis added)

Note the effort put forth and the intricate and extensive detail put into worshiping, praising, and exalting God.  There seems to be no overlooking any detail that will enable God’s people to magnify Him in a more powerful and thorough manner. 

Now my question for you.  How much effort will you expend to express worship and adoration to God?  How much detail will you pursue just to be sure that no detail is missed that might magnify your Savior in a greater way?  This Sunday the church will gather to worship and praise God.  The goal is that He might be lifted up. 

What will you do to prepare for that day?