Worship

I've been giving time recently to the topic of worship. I've spent time in prayer, conversations, and reading on this subject. What comes to mind is, "the more I learn the more I don't know!" I want to share some of my thoughts, questions and conclusions with you for your consideration.

My thoughts began along the lines of wondering if people who attended our church service experienced Yahweh? This opens the discussion about why people assemble on Sunday morning. I wondered if the songs touched their hearts? Were they engaging in private prayer? Were their souls stirred by the scripture lesson? Did they reach out to bless someone on Yahweh's behalf? If all these questions were answered in the affirmative that would be great.

Yet I'm not so naive to think that while people are setting in a service of worship other thoughts aren't running through their minds like; next weeks activities, who's late, will the service run overtime, where to have lunch, and so on. You can probably add some from your own experience.

Another thought I had was; Should worship be thrilling and exciting? I was thinking of something akin to a rock concert, or a night club act. Perhaps it should be quiet, subdued, or reserved. I've seen people get excited over ball games and chess matches. Is it the function of worship to get the congregation excited about Yahweh? Or is it Yahweh that excites the congregation to worship? I'm leaning toward the idea that if it's necessary to make worship exciting, perhaps Yahweh isn't there. I've heard this comment, "We have to have toe-tapping, hand-clapping music or the people won't come." So I think that it is possible to have a service about Yahweh, tailored to draw people in, that Yahweh doesn't attend. In my mind, it falls into any number of secular concert and entertainment venues that make someone a lot of money. That's not what I'm after.

I'm not making an argument against any type of music, style, songs, or instruments. What I want is a workable, usable understanding of what worship is and what it accomplishes. Gaining this understanding may make it necessary to change what I've been doing. That speaks to traditions.

What if Yahweh broke through to us and our traditional way of worship was changed? Would that be acceptable to us, if it was acceptable to Yahweh? Would His influence be enough to cause us to forsake some traditions? I don't have any in mind at this point, I'm still investigating the issue. However the question is; Is what I'm comfortable with more important than what is right?

I thought that if I could discern how the early church "did church" it might give me some insight. I've read that in or about AD 150 a typical service included reading from the Apostles and Prophets, an exhortation on the texts, prayers, communion, and a collection was taken for the needy. We could adopt their methods but it won't insure anything beyond conformity.

I believe it's beyond methods or styles, hymns or choruses, equipment or instruments. Today, my workable definition of worship is "verbalizing what is great about Yahweh". This includes what He has done in the past, what He's doing in the present, and what He has promised to do in the future. Whether this is verbalized in song, poems, conversations, or weeping, I'm coming to the conclusion that this is what constitutes worship!

When we focus on Yahweh's might, faithfulness, mercy, and promises and express our joy, we are worshiping. It can be done anywhere. A pastor asked a man why he didn't come to church. The man replied that he went to the woods and worshiped God there by himself. "After all" the man said, "isn't God there too?"

The pastor didn't want to loose this debate, so he insisted that the man give him some scripture that taught this way of worshiping. The man replied, "It says in Revelation 22:9, 'Worship God alone'. So that's what I do, I go out somewhere I can be alone".

Whether we worship in a group, or alone, it is a good practice to engage in. Spend some time thinking of those three things, what Yahweh has done, what He is doing, and what He will do. You'll find yourself worshiping before you know it.

Blessing be on you
Chuck Jones

 

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