Human nature seems to like to separate things
Things are easier to understand when they are separated, but what if we lose something in this process. What if simplifying things for ease of understanding means we miss some of the rich tapestry of interwoven principles in life.
We so often talk about aspects of christianity like they are separate concepts like worship or mission. But what if separating things like this is actually unhelpful? I am more and more convinced worship and mission are completely interconnected and intertwined.
Reading the gospels I notice more often than not when Jesus healed someone, they not only expressed their gratitude to him but they spread the word about what he had done, even when He specifically told them not to.
Healing, restoration, freedom and revelation are too good simply to be grateful for. Sometimes I wonder whether it is possible to worship/be a worshiper, which is right at the core of being a follower of Jesus, without it galvanizing us to share our faith in Jesus?
Yet I have met plenty of people who say things like “evangelism just isn’t for me”
In a similar context I wonder whether consumer mind-sets side track us from what really has importance. I don’t mean just filling our lives with possessions, I am sure most of us are aware of Jesus’ warnings regarding that, but, I mean the mind-set that asks “what do we get out of it.”
We’ve probably all heard people complaining about the music or making statements like, “I didn’t enjoy the worship this morning I didn’t get anything from it. “
Since when has it ever been about us getting anything from it?
What do you think the beautiful Beccy (my wife) would say if one day I confessed, I didn’t really enjoy bringing you flowers today because I didn’t really get anything out of it?
… I think it might mark a night on the sofa!
True worship is an expression of our love to God. It is about exalting Him to be first and foremost and loosing ourselves in the wonder of our beautiful saviour who has so graciously lavished His love upon us.
When that happens how can it not galvanize us to share what we have found, or should I say, has found us?
I suspect worship actually has little to do with standing in neat rows pleasantly singing sweetly poetic melodies. I suspect in Heaven there are probably some guts involved, probably some movement, probably some passion and probably some exuberant energy involved. I don’t care whether we clap, raise our hands, do the Pentecostal hop, jump up or down or get the flags out (ok I do care if we get the flags out, a few too many near misses as a child growing up in church and I have a deep rooted dislike for such things). Joking aside I do care what we think God is due! Or what we think God is worth!
Worship is not about music nor is it prescriptive – that’s the point – it is all about our own personal expression of love to God. We use music to facilitate that expression.
Expression being the key!
In reality even if it had all stopped at the cross that should be more than enough to rouse our earth shaking, unquenchable, insatiable, passionate worship. Regardless of whether we like the music, the volume, the décor, we feel like it or any other excuse we care to grumble about.
It also should be more than enough to mobilise us to share the good news of the hope, love and life the cross represents. Incredibly the cross was only the beginning and time and time again God is at work in our life, probably a whole lot more than we realize as well.
How much should the Creator of the Universe, our loving Saviour deserve?
A deep expression from the bottom of our hearts? … All of our hearts? … All of us? … All of our lives?
Worship is more about life than music! Our lives speak volumes about what we think God is due or worth, far more than the words we sing on a Sunday … or … any clichés we care to trot out?
So long may our lives reflect how we truly feel about our glorious saviour. And long may our churches and communities come alive, loosing themselves in worship and be propelled out to our friends, families, neighbours, colleges and world to share the beautiful story of hope and salvation that has been weaving its way through history for generations and centuries before and will continue to weave through history for generations and centuries to come?
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