If you attend a "Worship" service, does that make you a "Worshiper" by the fact you showed up?
What if you sing the words of a "worship" song? Are you "worshiping?
This hit me fresh just a few months ago. I am a woman who truly has a heart for worshiping our Lord and especially through song/music. I believe God did not give me the voice of an angel like many of my friends have cuz I would probably never be quiet! At least I know I can't sing worthy for the masses and that fact minimizes my vocal expressions of worship publicly! Yes, I absolutely sing at the top of my lungs....but alone....me and the Lord...no witnesses (aka: victims)!!! I am one of the Lord's "make a joyful noise" girls!
Unfortunately, I thought I wasn't going to be able to "worship" for a period of time. As many of you know, I swallowed a small fish bone and it scraped down my throat causing it to swell, which was made worse when I tried to talk, much less sing. Sounds silly, but it was heartbreaking for me to not be able to sing. If I talked for about 30 min just in normal conversations with the kids or in class, my throat swelled up worse and it put pressure on my tongue and voice box making my throat basically shut down. After a 30 min to an hour rest from talking, I could start the "talk timer" over. The kids and I brushed up on our sign language, and we really made sure that what ever was wanting to be said, needed to be said. You don't realize how much you can not say until you can't say it.
Talking was difficult...singing was impossible. (Deep sigh.) You just have to know me to know how serious I am when I say it was devastating for me. I sing all the time!! We are a dancing and singing family!!
I sat there in the pew that first Sunday so sad that I couldn't "worship" cuz my voice just wouldn't let me. I stood there silent...sad...grieving in what I felt was my inability to worship my Lord and Savior, my Abba Daddy, my Greatest Love of all. There was such a battle in my soul between flesh and spirit. My spirit was saying Worship while my flesh had resolved that I couldn't worship. After the first song, during the announcements, I battled a final war. It was then that the question came...so what is worship? You can't sing. How are you gonna worship now? I imagine if you took a poll asking people "how do you worship?", most people would say the name of their favorite song.
But I could not sing. But I could still worship! I know our life is an act of worship to the Lord but it would be the singing part, right? I re-discovered the answer is No!
Worship is not:
A song or a word spoken or repeated.
It's not showing up for an hour each week.
It's not playing Christian songs with your favorite instrument.
These things are the outward display of a heart of worship. I was so wrapped up in the fact that I couldn't sing, I didn't consider what was my true act of worship.
Worship begins in the heart! Worship is within us...not something from the outside in, but inside-out. For weeks, I stood up in a "worship" service, lips sealed, in worship. And yes, I was belting it out at the top of my heart-lungs, praises and adoration to our King!! Satan doesn't want us to worship and yet, in the heart of a Believer, you can't help but want to sing out loud but how important that we realize it's not about what you do....it's what is in the heart, soul, spirit stirring inside you and is expressed outwardly in one way or another.
Another question: Is it wrong to lift your hands in response to the praise within you? No. There are plenty of scriptures that say "lift your hands" but it is wrong to lift them so it looks like you are worshiping. Is it wrong to keep your hands down to your sides when you worship? No, unless you feel your spirit wanting to lift them and you resist it. Singing, leading, playing an instrument of praise, making good choices throughout our day does not mean we are in worship. Speaking to the Lord Himself from within your heart and soul...that is worship! Then, we can speak it, sing it, play it, act out because of it. It then becomes a community of worship, a worship service.
Nothing can stop your worship!!! Satan would like to, but he can't unless you let him. No voice? No problem!! Can't make it worship service one week? No problem, worship right where you are, just how you are, music or no music.
Week by week, my throat has healed up and last Sunday was my first time to sing out in worship through all the songs. It felt so good to express outwardly what was happening on the inside (even though He already sees and hears what's going on in there), I know there had to be a smile on my face cuz my heart was surely smiling!! Like a kid who squeals at the sight of cake, so I felt that Sunday! Joyful and Abundant in praise!!
It was a great lesson re-learned. Our worship comes from our heart, not our lips, not our hands, not our feet. Eventhough I have most of my strength back in my voice, I find a sweetness in just closing my eyes and my lips and belting out my worship from the inside-out!! Not for too long though, before I can't stand it and noise bursts through!!
Deuteronomy 11: 16
"And he said to him, "All these I will give you, if you will fall down and worship me." Then Jesus said to him, "Be gone, Satan! For it is written,"'You shall worship the Lord your God and Him only shall you serve.'"
Matthew 4:9-10
"But the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship Him. God is spirit,
and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."
John 4: 23-24
Father God, Holy One, may my life lived out on the outside be a reflection of my heart for You on the inside. May I be more consumed with the condition of my heart than the words on the screen during times of corporate worship. May the song sung on the inside bless Your heart more than the joyful noise that flows out. May the choices I make throughout each day, bring You honor and praise as an act of worship to You. You are worthy of all my praise and to You alone I worship. God, I know You already see my heart for You, but Lord, I want it to worship and honor You in everything I do. Guard my heart and set my eyes on You fully. Rescue our hearts, cover them, fill them, protect them in Your Holy Name, amen!
"I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect."
Romans 12: 1-2
Oh WORSHIP our Lord and King, in spirit and truth!!!!!
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