Our church has a very "come as you are" attitude toward worship. We believe that some of the best times of worship come when you bring everything - your spirit, your self, your thoughts, your struggles, your triumphs with you when you worship God. Everyone has different ways of worshiping God. Some are quiet, some are loud. Some sing and dance and throw their hands in the air. Some are thoughtful and prayerful and prefer quiet ways of letting God know how much they love Him. I am typically a louder worshiper. I love to sing, I can't help but move my feet when I hear a great song that provides me with words to sing when I have no words to describe what Jesus means to me. Today I saw a form of worship that took me out of my comfort zone...in a good way.
As always, I was sitting in the very front pew at church, singing and dancing (just a little, it is a baptist church after all!) and I saw movement to one side of me. When I turned to look, there was a middle aged woman moving as fast as her legs would carry her to the front of the church. On her face was a look so honest, so open, so full of adoration, desperation, love and wanting...I was shocked into silence. When she got to the front of the stage, she fell to her knees and, hands raised, kept singing in worship to God.
I don't know why I was so surprised to see that. I think that alot of people have those feelings while worshipping but not all of them project it like this woman did. I could feel tears coming to my eyes as I watched this beautiful woman kneeling in awe and reverence, singing of the coming of her King. It was the most honest, open form of worship I had ever seen. She left the front of the church once the singing was over and the only thing that I could think was, "Thank You Jesus that we have the freedom to worship You in whatever way You move us to worship. Thank You that You move so powerfully in people's lives that they are awestruck in Your presence. We are a blessed people!"
We are so fully loved by the One who never fails, who sees all, who knows all. His love is everlasting! In whatever way Jesus moves you, I challenge you to worship Him with everything you are...good bad and ugly. He'll take it all. Not only will it move you to a closer relationship with Him, but it may move the people who watch you...like that wonderful lady moved me.
1 comments:
That's beautiful Michele, I got goosebumps! There are so many different places and times and ways to worship God, each of them so beautiful...like seeing Dad in the morning with his bible or his eyes closed in the recliner, like that lady at the front of your church, like Riker sitting in front of our computer and belting out the Cranberries "Salvation, salvation, salvation is free...", like a walk in the woods, like washing dishes and praying or singing...the list is so endless! What freedom we have and what a great reminder to be thankful for it!
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