The other day while reading minister friend, Kevin McNulty's blog about "Courtesy Prayers," I was struck by this parallel thought.

The church today seems gripped by a tragically casual approach to praise. This priceless opportunity is typically viewed as preliminary or as opening exercises. In boxing terms, it would be the undercard-in literary terms, the prelude. ...The opening act, in the terminology of music and bands and in sports terms, the pre-game warm-up.

For most folks, their best opportunity of the week to truly draw near to and connect with Father God is treated with casual interest and virtually no preparation or expectation. For those who haven't really come prepared to engage their hearts, yet don't want to appear disengaged, the convenient answer is clearly... courtesy praise!

Courtesy praise has nothing whatsoever to do with the genuine. It's just a reasonable facsimile ... somewhere in between spectator and participant. We've made numerous SG references to Jesus' quoting Isaiah saying, "These people draw near with their mouths but their hearts are far from me..."

Offering God courtesy praise is the spiritual equivalent of the priests trying to sacrifice a stuffed animal on the alter (and similarly effective). Every opportunity you have: prepare, engage, expect! Selah. \o/