Anywhere Worship

“Enter the unquenchable worshipper. This world is full of fragile loves –Love that abandons, love that fades, love that divorces, love that is self-seeking. But the unquenchable worshipper is different. From a heart so amazed by God and His wonders burns a love that will not be extinguished. It survives any situation and lives through any circumstance. It will not allow itself to be quenched, for that would heap insult on the love it lives in response to.” (pg 18 The Unquenchable Worshipper)

I was invited to attend an outdoor concert downtown for a group called “Ben Folds”. I was a little nervous because I would be meeting some of my -very new at the time- boyfriend's friends. I chatted with everyone through the lame opening act and was completely comfortable with all of them right away. Of course his friends were great since he is so great and has great taste. (Hello, he is dating me obviously he has great taste.)

Since he and one of his friends operate the sound board at their church they were critical of the sound at the outdoor venue. And even to a laymen's ear it was really hard to hear and understand the vocals of the band. I was not very familiar with the group anyway so I wouldn't have been able to sing along even if I could catch the words.

What words I did catch were when they would throw out a “Jesus Christ or an Oh, my God”. When they would exclaim these, to be funny, my boyfriend would turn to me and smile and say, 'Oh this is a Christian song, awesome!”

The humorous thing to me is that I was already feeling like they were all Christian songs because I was standing there so happy in life and in love, that I couldn't help singing a song of worship in my own mental melody. I couldn't restrain myself from inwardly worshipping my Heavenly Father for all the joy, beauty and happiness I was experiencing just standing there in the balmy breeze. The band might have been using the Lord's name in vain, but not me, I was singing songs of adoration to His name. They were breaking commandments but I was keeping them.

I don't even need music to accompany the worship in my heart that overtakes me some time when I am just so, so, ecstatic. Little things can jump start my joyful trilling like thinking about one of my nieces or laughing at my funny coworkers. Sometimes merely because the sun is shinning I can't stop profusely thanking God for His creation.

“We can always find a reason to praise. Situations change for better and for worse, but God's worth never changes.” -Matt Redman

I like they way the author Dr. David Stoop wrote about worship:
“Our word worship comes out of the Old English word weorthscipe.This word meant that someone ascribed “worth” to the object of their “weorthscipe,” or worship. In our context as Christians, worship is the act, or actions, whereby we ascribe great worth to God. This is especially clear in the passage in Revelation where the twenty-four elders say,

“O Lord, you are worthy....” It is seen again in Revelation 5, where John hears “the singing of millions of angels surrounding the throne and the Living Beings and the Elders: “The Lamb is worthy” (loudly they sang it!)--the Lamb who was slain. He is worthy to receive the power, and the riches, and the wisdom, and the strength, and the honor, and the glory, and the blessing”” (verses 11-12)

In both of these examples, “worth” is being rendered, or offered, to God.
Our writer defined worship by saying that “in worship we engage ourselves with, dwell upon, and express greatness, beauty, and goodness of God through thought and the use of words, rituals, and symbols.” In worship we meet with God and God meets with us.” (pg 87 Experiencing God Together)

I don't see worship described as something we do on Sundays in church by singing, because that is not what it is really all about, even though I dearly love doing that. It is about acknowledging in your spirit the greatness of God and I think in return we feel His Spirit responding intimately back to us. It is as if we get a glimpse of His supreme glory in the little things in life and we can't help but compliment Him with everything that is in us ...and this is also worship.

I have a friend who majored in musical theater in college and I remember her dramatically saying that a good musical is when a character 's feelings are so strong that they can only be expressed adequately by bursting into song. A few days after hearing this I took my niece to see the musical movie “Enchanted” and it so aptly portrayed her definition. (If you have seen it, you would know what I mean.)

When I play with all my nieces I constantly find myself making up songs and singing to them. One was “Hadley-who is a dancing girl she likes to dance and she likes to twirl”, I have songs about changing diapers and brushing your teeth. You name it, I probably sang it. I think I sing because when I am with all my babies they make me so happy. And this is the same about my love for the Lord, He makes me so happy I can't help but sing and worship Him outwardly as well as inwardly.

“The heart of God loves a persevering worshipper who, though overwhelmed by many troubles, is overwhelmed even more by the beauty of God.” --Matt Redman

“Though the fig-tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior” (Habakkuk 3:17,18)

Paul and Silas caused their prison to crumble due to their praise. I want to praise and worship no matter what my situation, happy or sad, despondent or deliriously happy. I want to sing a song in my heart to glorify God's name all day long. Lord lead me to love you with the wholeness of my character so that I might know and experience the wholeness of Your character. Please help me to praise you no matter what my mood. Call me to attention, tell me to seek you when I need you most. Remind me You are near and always listening to my worship or lament. Let my lament turn into whole hearted worship and praise. Thank you Lord for all that You are, “Holy, Holy is the Lord God almighty who was and is and is to be.”

Heaven helped me 6/11/09
Love Always,
A*