And then after the game, different players have different regimens they follow depending on their specific needs. While pregame routines are all about preparation, postgame is more focused on recovery. Athletes may stretch again to cool down their bodies and they might drink lots of water to rehydrate after the intense physical exertion of the previous couple hours. Players often eat something nutritious to reenergize, and they go through a variety of procedures to address any muscle soreness or damage including ice baths, massages and utilizing compression gear. A player who’s dealt with chronic knee problems might do some knee-specific exercises and put a big ol’ bag of ice on his knee for a while to ease any pain and help prevent future problems. Postgame routines are key to athletes’ ongoing success.

Have you ever thought about your before-and-after routine when it comes to your time spent with Jesus? For example, church. The Bible says we are to come into God’s presence with gratitude and praise. We should walk through the doors (or gates) of the church with our hearts and minds ready to worship.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. -Psalm 100:4

Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. -Psalm 95:2

Have you ever prayed on your drive to church and asked God to prepare your heart for the worship you’re about to partake in? Have you asked Him to get your heart and mind ready for the Bible readings and message you’re about to hear? If you intentionally prepare yourself before entering into His presence by thanking, praising and exalting Him, just imagine what a difference that might make. The soil of your heart will be tilled and watered, ready for optimal worship and maturation in Christ! When you enter His presence with your heart and mindset on Him, you can more easily block out the distractions of life that are constantly knocking and nagging and, instead, place your sole focus on worshipping Jesus.

I think you could even take it a step further … well, a step further backward. I heard a pastor preach a sermon once about preparing for the presence of God, and he even challenged his church members to be intentional about what they do, watch and listen to the night before church. When you think about this idea, it makes total sense. If you’re up late on Saturday night, it’s much harder to be bright eyed and bushy tailed for Sunday morning service, right? Maybe you’ve had Saturday nights where you’ve been out bar hopping or partying. That’s not helping your body and soul prepare for worshiping the God of the universe just a few hours later. How you enter into God’s presence matters!

Of course, God is omnipresent. His presence goes with us wherever we go, but there are times (hopefully!) in your weekly routine when you enter into more intentionally focused time with the Lord. This might include church services, Bible study, your church small group, or even your own personal quiet time with Jesus. I’ve mentioned before that while I follow a Bible study lesson each day that guides me into thoughts and discoveries about the Word, I also love saving one hour every week to just spend with my Bible and the Holy Spirit at my favorite coffee shop. As I drive to the coffee shop, I pray and ask God to prepare me for what He has prepared for me in His Word. Then, I spend a sweet hour just letting Him bring the Bible to life through the Holy Spirit. No guided questions or lesson to follow, just me and God. If you want some suggestions for how to start this routine, check out this past post about it. 

Just recently, I realized that just as my time spent praying as I drive to the coffee shop feels crucial, my drive away from the coffee shop seems to be just as sacred. It’s become a time when the Holy Spirit really seals whatever I learned through the Word, and to be honest, I’ve noticed that some of my greatest “revelations,” if you will, seem to come as I’m driving on to the next item on the day’s agenda. Once I started noticing this pattern, I got more intentional about thinking about the sermon as I drive home from church and really letting it resonate and set into my heart. It has been life-giving!

By protecting and holding scared the time before and after your more formal “meetings” with God, you might be able to learn, grow and mature as a believer more than ever. This has certainly been true for me, and I believe it can be true for you, too. When you ready your mind so you can come into His presence in the right mindset, you are positioning yourself for an encounter with the Almighty. And then, when you intentionally ponder and consider His precious words after you’ve been with Him, you will seal up and maybe even further enhance what He spoke into your life through Scripture, worship, Bible study, a sermon, or whatever. 

Decide to make your before-and-after sacred. I pray that you will notice an increased sacredness, an increased level of awareness and revelation. And those increases will lead to an increased intimacy with Jesus as you mature and grow in your daily walk with Him.