Connecting in Worship

I'm still sort of thinking about connecting the dots in Faith and so these thoughts are some more ramblings out of my mind. This weekend, the friday night worship team (Under Construction or the Church of Rock, whichever it is) is going to be doing all of the worship music for our church's youth rally/retreat. So we're going to be leading something like 150 people in worship for two days - about 5 meetings or so. And what's really cool is that our team leader, Cherie, is really keen about us thinking, and praying about what it means to lead worship. So this got me thinking (even though it doesn't take much to do that), so bear with me while I stream some of my consciousness out there.

In order to lead worship, you have to know what worship is to you. So what is worship? Worship is not just about some emotionally charged, hand waving, balling your eyes out, falling on the floor time with songs that just repeat the same words over and over. It's not just about finding God that way, it not about connecting to him in that way. Worship, in general, is living your life like Romans 12:1 says, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God–this is your spiritual act of worship." The Message paraphrase is good, it goes into a little more depth about what offering your body means saying, "Take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going to work, and walking around life - and place it before God as an offering." Worship involves your entire life, public and private. But that's like, the macro definition of worship in my point of view.

Worship, as most people view it, is that time during a church service, that people stand and sing about God, what He's done, what He's doing, what He's going to do, and just telling Him how great He is. That's corporate worship, when the body of Christ, the church - believers - get together and fellowship reminding each other of His greatness, and using music to connect to God on a level that is really beyond understanding. In corporate worship, music is a tool that allows God to connect to your spirit at a level that is far beyond the mere spoken word. For some reason, I believe, music is a force that is a direct link (for lack of better words) that bypasses the thinking part of your brain - the rational, cognitive part of you; it bypasses the senses - the feeling part of you; and cuts straight to the part the God desires the most, the deep seated heart of you, and I'm not talking about your bloody thumper (as Rev distinguishes it) I'm talking about the seat of your soul. That part of you that is what David and the other Psalmists call, "my inmost being." And this connection, I believe can happen regardless of the participation you put into it - your participation and willingness to connect only determines how you understand the connection.

When we do fully, truly, and deeply desire that connection with God, he meets us where we are. He meets us where we are, and puts something in us that defies all other things - especially emotions. I'm not a big fan of emotions because they're so fickle, and when we seek after the emotions solely, we miss out on something much deeper, we miss out on Joy. It is in that deep connection that the Lord allows that tap of joy overflowing to be opened in us, as a wellspring of life. Part of me thinks this is the reason that 21 times throughout the Psalms the command to Shout or Sing for Joy is given. In singing and shouting for Joy, not only are we rejoicing for what He has already done, but we are asking for more Joy in order to make it through the next day.

It is my firm belief that Joy and Peace are so greatly entwined that with the one comes the other, and why the fruit of the Spirit is listed as Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Gentleness, Faithfulness and self-control. These things each required the other to be borne in our lives. It is when we Love God truly and deeply that we seek fully after Him, and make that connection, which allows Him to open the spigot of Joy in our lives. Once that tap is opened, regardless of how we feel, the Joy turns into Peace which is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of calm within the the storm. And in the calm of Peace, the Patience of knowing that all this is merely temporary adds to the quiet in our hearts. With that Patient quiet, it is very easy to be Kind and Good, and Gentle, for there is no need to rush, hurry or worry, three things of which cause us all to be unkind, and harsh. Faithfulness and Self Control become easy after that, because they flow from kind, gentle and good hearts, for they that are faithful and controlled are good and true..

How is all this related to connecting the dots? Well, it is only as we believe ("Now Faith is being certain of what we hope for and sure of what we do not see." Hebrews 11:1) that we are lead to worship, and desire to seek and ask for that connection, regardless of what it brings. And as we connect to God, He begins to connect the dots of our lives, and we can begin to see the really cool picture of what He has planned - and that really gives us a reason to praise Him.

Blessings