“Physical posture is a powerful prompt. Your physical posture affects your heart posture and vice versa. When you kneel and pray, it sets the tone for the rest of the day.”- Mark Batterson
“Aaron must burn fragrant incense on the altar every morning when he tends the lamps. He must burn incense again when he lights the lamps at twilight or incense will burn regularly before the LORD for generations to come.”- Exodus 30:7-8 (NIV)
On Day 6 (“Stack the Habit”) of Do It for a Day, Mark Batterson notes that at some point we get so good at repeated routines that we could do them with our eyes closed. For example, in 1991 against the Denver Nuggets, Michael Jordan shot a free throw with his eyes closed. And he made it!
Furthermore, in 1927 a toothpaste company named Pepsodent transformed America’s brushing habits. Because a hundred years ago, only 7 percent of Americans brushed their teeth. So, an advertiser named Claude Hopkins prompted people to run their tongues across their teeth. As a result, people felt a film. The ad went on to say that the film discolored teeth and invited decay.
For twenty-five years, National Community Church has met in movie theaters. And during their early days as a church, an article written out NCC carried this title: “Praise the Lord and Pass the Popcorn!”
To the average moviegoer, the smell of popcorn triggers the opening trailers. But for Pastor Mark, it cues worship. In the Old Testament, though, God gave the priests a precise prescription for incense in the tabernacle. Hence, God used habit stacking to trigger worship recall. Just like toothbrushing for us, it became a routine for the children of Israel.
Every time, Mark states, the people approached their place of worship, the smell of incense brought back memories of worship.
Today’s question: How does your physical posture affect your heart posture – and vice versa? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Write history – or repeat history?”
