After five years of leading a worship on Sunday mornings, It's time I began sharing what I've learned about worship. I've been prompted (I believe by the Holy Spirit) for some time to write about worship in a blog or column, or devotional. Recently, I looked up how to write a blog. I came away with less than I started. So, instead of saying I'm flying by the seat of my pants, I'll tell you it's simply through faith and obedience that I've begun to write.
It's always good to start at the beginning, so what is worship? My studies and experience have shown me it's what we are created by God to do. It is the basic answer to the question, why am I here? We are here to worship God in everything we do and say. In every aspect of our lives. There is not a part of daily living that cannot be considered an act of worship. From the attitude we wake up with, to the responsibilities and leisure which occupy our time, to the mindset we lay down with at the end of our day.
Worship is defined as bowing down or prostrating and humbling ones self to God. We can do this literally and figuratively. It is a response to a revelation from or about God. It is an act of faith. In essence, it's laying everything before Him in adoration, praise and submission while in His presence. Worship is meeting God where He is and on His terms because of Who He Is and what He has done. It's not about me or you. I've heard and read many times that a worship leader's job is to lead a congregation into the presence of God. But God is everywhere. So, we are always in His presence, that is if we choose to be. I liken it to simply stepping over a threshold into another room. A conscious choice, a premeditated desire to be with the Creator of all things and the One who gave His only Son that whoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life. We can do this anytime and anywhere.
We often think we have to have a "feeling" in order to worship. Many, me included, have worked hard in a worship service or our quiet alone time with God to capture or create a certain emotion with particular songs or words in various music, praying, speaking and preaching styles. But we've had it backwards. We should settle upon moving into God's presence first whether we sense Him or not. When we find ourselves where He is, the "feeling" may, or may not come. Just because we don't feel Him doesn't mean He's not there. Some of the best worship times I've gone away from are the ones where I didn't feel like being there. That's when I "found" God because I elected be with Him. The emotion came later and continues to carry over in everyday living and worship. Jesus said in John Chapter 4 that God is seeking those who will worship Him in Spirit and Truth. To do that we must follow Him and His Spirit, not our hearts, and truly believe we are in His presence all the time.
Well there it is, my first blog. It's likely an oversimplified explanation of what God has revealed to me through what I've read, seen and heard. It's not fancy or perfect... but it is an act of worship.