I don't know if you've ever used the phrase "getting spiffed up," but back in the day we would talk about getting spiffed up for a date, or for church or for other important events.  When I looked up the phrase "spiffed up" the definition was: dressed in fancy or formal clothes.  Why do I bring this up?  Because in Exodus 19:10-11, God told Moses to get the people spiffed up--but not just on the outside, on the inside, too!  “The Lord told Moses go down and prepare the people for my visit, purify them today and tomorrow and have them wash their clothing.  Be sure they are ready on the third day for I will come down upon Mount Sinai as all the people watch.”  Exodus 19:10-11. 

Did you notice they were supposed to wash their clothing, but much more importantly, Moses was to "purify them."  When God comes to visit we want to be spiffed up inside and out!  How do we do that?  Lots of ways, I'm sure.  Let me suggest a couple, as we prepare for the 40 Days of Community that will start officially this Sunday at New Life.  First, make a COMMITMENT to be there.  Do you know the difference between a decision and a commitment?  A decision is an intention to do something.  A commitment is a resolution to do something.  If I decide to go to worship this Sunday, the implication is that something may come up that would cause me to change my decision, a better opportunity perhaps.  We make decisions everyday that we change by the end of the day, or even by the end of the sentence.  But commitments are different.  Commitments are courses of action.  As Rick Warren says, "We become what we're committed to in life.   We don't become what we decide.  I know lots of folks who have decided to follow Jesus, who aren't following Him; who have decided to lose ten pounds, who weigh more now than they did when they made the decision, who have decided to read more books this year, who still haven't finished one.  BUT, the folks I know who have committed to following Jesus have changed.  They are more like Him now than they were six months ago, and they will be more like Him still six months from now.  So make a COMMITMENT to be there for the 40 Days of Community, to be there for worship, to be there in a L.I.F.E. group, to come here to the blog every day and read the Bible study and then live it out.  We do become what we're committed to in life!

The second way we can get "spiffed up" for the 40 Days of Community is to examine ourselves, to ask ourselves some hard questions.  What am I committed to in my life?  Am I truly following Jesus or am I just following along with the crowd?  What am I doing to make certain that God is welcomed into my life personally every day?  How will I connect with others during the 40 Days of Community so I can gain from their interaction with me, and they can gain from my interaction with them?  Take five minutes and reflect on these questions, and then COMMIT to whatever it takes to make the answers reflect a growing commitment to Jesus.  Did I mention we become what we are committed to in life?

 Let's pray:  Heavenly Father, Thank You for committing Yourself to us!  Thank You for sending Jesus to live a life of whole-hearted commitment and for dying on the cross of Calvary to demonstrate that commitment.  Fill us with Your Holy Spirit that we may live with the same kind of commitment toward You.  This we pray in Jesus' name.  Amen.