Thursday, July 8, 2010

Backwards Worship Part 1

There are different actions involved in worship at different time. Sometimes we clap, sometimes we sing, at other times we might even dance, but I have found that there is another action that we tend to look over as a "non-action" if you will. For some reason we think that to be "doing" something is worship, but there are times that we find we can worship God best when we simply wait on Him! Sounds kind of moronic to think if we sit still and just wait, that we are actually doing something, but its true, and what we are doing most of all is being obedient! Each week as worship leaders plan song sets, there are things we must be aware of, one of which is time. Time is something that is precious, that you cant get back once it passes. You have to consider the best use of the time you are given, and consider that there is another service following the first which requires time. However I find myself concerned that in our quest for better time management that we time God right out of the picture. In planning many times, how often do we ask the important questions of "Does this song exalt Christ"? "Can we use this to focus people on Gods love?" "Are we allowing enough time to just wait on Him?" Scripture tells us over and over, especially in the Psalms to wait on the Lord and seek Him, but instead we tell God to wait on us. In essence we say to the Lord "You can wait till my planned schedule is over and if you have time to move, go for it!", or "Ok God! I am giving you 10 minutes and 2 songs, 2 prayers and a nice speech to do your thing, so get to it...clock is running!". How absurd and utterly rude that we, the creation would try to place God the creator in a box and tell Him, the King the way its going to be! When Jesus took the disciples up the hill to pray with Him, He came back and found them asleep and asked them "Could you not wait for just an hour?" Sometimes we are so ready to get in, start the clock and get out that we do not wait and seek, instead we sprint and rush! What happened to the scripture that talks about prayer and fasting, or the passages that tells us not to grow weary in well doing? It seems we are comfortable to water down and do less and less, when Jesus exhorted us to do more and more as we see the day approaching! Don't get me wrong, having a plan and following it is a necessity. After all I would rather have a plan and God change it when He moves, then to have no plan at all and God not move, but falling in love with a plan or system more than loving the Spirit and presence of God is dangerously wrong. Some say we should use our personal time of worship to "wait" and "seek" and this is true, however when Gods people meet to worship cooporately through music and preaching, we are charged to gather not so we can show off our talent and preform but to bring him thanksgiving and hear from Him. The church was not created to be a show palace, but to be a place that we are charged and sent out to make the difference. If lost people come, let them come but let them see us with our hearts poured out before the Lord! Will they think this is strange? Maybe.... Will they feel uncomfortable? Possibly, but thats usually what happens when God is active around lost people...its not us making them feel uncomfortable, its the Spirit of God convicting and dealing, just as He does with us when we are out of line. So, lets think a moment....Were we created to wait on the Lord? And if so, are we guilty of telling God to wait until we can schedule Him in?