A remedy for wandering thoughts in worship by Richard Steele (Available from Heritage Books or free here) - Read Chapter 5.
The objections answered are:
(i) it is impossible to attend on God without distractions;
(ii) it is difficult: if it be not impossible, yet it is very hard; it is a lesson for the upper class in the school of Jesus Christ;
(iii) the commonness of these distractions; no man but is full of them; all serious Christians complain of them;
(iv) God will accept the will for the deed.
I liked Steele's exhortation to always work harder at concentrating during worship: 'Have you ever tried to the utmost what God and you can do? Could not you have heard a sermon better if a naked sword had been suspended by a single hair over your bare heads ; and have prayed more cordially if you had seen every word you uttered, written down by the hand of God ? The same circumspection that keeps a distraction out of one sentence, might, were you faithful therein, keep it out of two, or ten, or twenty ; and he that can be temperate for a day, might be temperate every day, if he did his best.'
There is always room for improvement as we strive to worship our God.
Next week's reading
Commence Chapter 6 by reading up to the section with the heading: 'Section IV, Lukewarmness'.
Please post your own notes and thoughts in the comments section below.
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