Do we compartmentalize God? This is a confession, and a general observation.
On Sunday morning at our church gatherings when music is played, it is about God. This may seem like a silly question, but why? Why is that? It's very intentional in proclaiming God, singing to God, about God, and for God. Why? The music choice is very specific in that way. We would all be pretty shocked and even rightfully offended to hear an AC/DC, Katie Perry, or some other famous musician’s song played during Sunday morning worship. But, is Tuesday morning not supposed to be filled with worship? Is that not the time to worship God? Not now, Lord… wait for Sunday morning. I’ll give you your day. Is not Thursday evening His?
So when we listen to music (as an example) during all the other times in our life, how are we expressing that worship? Is it consistent, or have we compartmentalized God for His special God time and God place? Do we set aside God worship for Sunday morning, Wednesday evening, or some other special time set apart for Him? Not that we shouldn't set special alone time apart for God in solitude, away from our daily distractions—that is something else. Of course we should do that as often as we can and need to.
How do we compartmentalize God—to subtly make little of Him?
We might say things likes “my sports life”, or “work life”, or “political life”, or “social life”, or perhaps “family life” and whatever other life we may make distinction of? What do we mean exactly? The most important thing here is to not get hung up on terms, but to honestly ask ourselves—do I isolate God? Is our sports life in some way disconnected from our family life? Is our work life somehow disconnected from our spiritual life? We may be looking at this all wrong.
“Yes, but”, someone will say, “My work life *is* distinct from my family life. I cannot be with my family when I’m at work. For all intents and purposes I have no interaction with my family when I am at work.” Perhaps this would be a true distinction, if the only way you served your family was by face-to-face, direct interaction. But, if you are called to work to support your family as most families do have at least one person who is, then really that is an extension of your family life. Whether in close proximity working in the yard while the kids are napping, or working downtown while the kids are in school. Even so, there may be some true distinction in this thinking because all of us are finite. Our spouse, our kids, our coworkers, our neighbors—we are all very much not omnipresent. Again, not to get hung up on terms, we’ll say maybe that’s just fine so long as we aren't neglecting those we should love in doing so. Most importantly, so long as we aren't isolating God to His room, to await His special time we allow Him to have an impression on our lives.
The main danger I seek to root out is the thinking of setting certain “lives” aside apart from God, as compartments that are our own unique territories somehow isolated from the calling of God; my sports life, my family life, my work life, my church life, and my spiritual life—even my prayer life.
Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. (1st Thessalonians 5:16-18)
Do we treat God like our lives are a microwave dinner? We pick and choose what He will touch, when, and how. Complete with all of its separate little compartments, designed not to mix until we choose to bring them together at the appointed time in our stomach? See, we aren't meant to be microwave TV dinners; corn over here, mashed potatoes over there, molten lava brownie in the corner, and our main dish steeped in gravy (Salisbury steak because we can all agree, it is the best). Now that I've either made you hungry or a little sick… hear this Psalm and be renewed.
Psalm 139:7-12
7 Where shall I go from your Spirit?
Or where shall I flee from your presence?
8 If I ascend to heaven, you are there!
If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there!
9 If I take the wings of the morning
and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
10 even there your hand shall lead me,
and your right hand shall hold me.
11 If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light about me be night,”
12 even the darkness is not dark to you;
the night is bright as the day,
for darkness is as light with you.
Do you hear the heart in this Psalm? Do you see what he is saying? Rather than microwave dinners with our own little compartments, isolated from the good gravy of God’s Spirit, we are better off to be mindful of God as this Psalm shows us in every aspect of our life—to be like a hot stew wrapped with the constant savor of the juices of worship throughout every bite, immovably woven throughout every single savor—a chicken pot pie.
Do we reserve the worship of God for Sunday mornings? What do we choose to listen to throughout the rest of the week? Do we have special God music for Sunday morning—a time when our Monday through Saturday music isn't played, only to bust out the non-Sunday morning worship music for our own time the other six days of the week? Do we have a special attitude we save for Sunday morning where we elevate God in our hearts in a special way, which we do not present the rest of the week? Do we have a special way of thinking and talking on Sunday morning that only leaves us Monday morning when we go to work? It ought to not be so.
Inviting God into everything is a submission of our will, more than giving God permission.
Let us be so engrossed in the savor of God that we delight in Him always. Let us say as the psalmist says, “Where shall I go from Your Spirit!?” May God be holy all the time, and no more or less holy to us on Sunday morning than He is on Tuesday afternoon. And may He be utterly holy. That is my desire.
Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. If I say, “Surely the darkness shall cover me, and the light about me be night,” even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.
