Leader Blog: What is Worship??
Hey Everyone,
I asked the Adult ministry Team leaders to led us their talents from time to time and tell us about what God is teaching them. Our friend Courtney has been kind enough to do just that! She sent me this great piece on what God’s been teaching her about worship. It’s really good. When you’re done reading spend a little time thinking about ways that you can worship God this week, even in the everyday things. Maybe you could even post one of your thoughts below. Thanks Courtney!
It’s only been a couple days, but I still can’t stop thinking about this past Sunday’s lesson (To refresh your memory, it was Dan’s lesson about worship). The notes I wrote down, and the questions we discussed have been popping back in my head ever since that morning. I’ve been thinking a lot about what worship means to me, and how I can apply it to my daily life. It’s been a challenge, but one I can’t wipe out of my mind!
One of my most favorite things to do in my spare time is sing. And dance. Definitely dance. Granted, I am no professional in either, but my favorite way to pass the time is to let loose. ESPECIALLY when I have to do chores. It really lightens the mood (I recommend trying it!).
It was great to hear someone bring up dance at U-Turn on Sunday, and ways that they can better use it for worshiping God. But for me, I don’t dance like it’s a sport, or something I’d be on Broadway for, or end up as someone famous. But then there’s your non- Christian friends, who dance a way you know isn’t right, or criticize you for dancing too stiff, or too loose. So I keep asking myself, how do you fully devote yourself to worshiping God when the dance moves are something that can be ungodly and looked down upon?
You may think it’s impossible, but, according to the Bible, IT’S NOT!
What if I told you the Bible wants us to dance? That it’s possible to worship God and dance at the same time???
Check out 2 Samuel 6:12-14a.
“And it was told King David, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the city of David with rejoicing. And when those who bore the ark of the Lord had gone six steps, he sacrificed an ox and a fattened animal. And David danced before the Lord with all his might.”
Did you see the words I italicized? David was so overwhelmed with joy and love for the Lord, he didn’t know what else to do but dance. Do you know what that feels like? If not, I sincerely pray and hope you experience that feeling, because it is the most exciting and breath-taking feeling in the world. I’ve worked at a camp where we stay up late the last night before campers go home, singing and dancing with joy as we rejoice in God’s amazing love for us. I even STILL get that feeling when I turn up the volume to my favorite Christian songs in the car, whether I’m on my way to Club JV, or driving to and from school.
Now I’m not saying that when you’re in “big church” for evening service, or in U-Turn on Sunday mornings, that you should run up and down the aisles waving your hands and screaming like a mad man. What I want you to realize is that when you’re lifting your head up high, closing your eyes, and jumping for joy at a really exciting song that opens you up, that’s when God looks down on you with a big smile for getting it. For completely opening up your heart to Him so He can come in and fill you with his overflowing love and compassion. And if you’re home, blasting a song that really opens your heart up to Him, and jerking a dance move (if you call it that) while you’re folding laundry, that’s awesome! You’re glorifying Him, and that’s what He wants.
I want to end with just one more passage, and a song for you to listen to. Read the lyrics as it plays. I pray that you’ve been thinking about the lesson you heard on Sunday, and that you try and apply it to your life, whether it’s completely silly like mine, or if it’s strengthening your habit of praying to Him. God loves your efforts no matter what!
Here’s Psalm 150…
“Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!”
