What is Worship?
"You say grace before meals... But I say grace before the concert and the opera, and grace before the play and pantomime, and grace before I open a book, and grace before sketching, painting, and swimming, fencing, boxing, walking, playing, dancing, and grace before I dip the pen in ink." - G.K. Chesterson
This quote says a lot. It says a lot about how we worship. It says a lot about what God may consider worship.
I blogged last summer about the excitement I felt when I first watched the movie Dead Poets Society with its message of carpe diem. I had never thought of just living life to the fullest, without worrying about what may happen. I was taught to worry from a young age, so giving that up just to live in the moment felt so freeing.
I recently read the book The Shack for the first time. When I read the idea that God is present in our enjoyment, I felt that same freedom that I did when I first watched the movie. I cried tears of joy and excitement that God could really view my participation in things that I love as a form of worship.
You see, I always felt that God did not want me to enjoy things too much. Those enjoyments might become an idol. They might become something that I would put above God. I could become proud. I could rebel. So when I enjoyed something, I always had to make sure I included some reference to God in those things. I could read a book or watch a movie, but only after I read the Bible first. I could play music, but be sure to include enough Christian songs in there somewhere. As I've said before, I could enjoy everyday, beautiful things like a shirt that I liked or a piece of jewelry; but if something went wrong, then it must have offended God. So I needed to take it off.
Some Christian denominations even teach that worship has to be done a certain way. It has to be dancing and clapping and shouting and crying. Others teach that it must be quiet and reverent and standing in awe of a holy God.
Oh, but to see God's presence in what I enjoy - that is all new to me. But it is something that God has been leading me to for several months. Over and over again. Ironically, I've always felt God and felt a sense of overpowering worship of Him when I see my sons enjoy their gifts and talents. I've often been moved to tears when I would watch them perform in a dance recital or see them explore nature or when I view their artwork. As G.K. Chesterson said, I would say grace as I experienced these things. But I never thought that same idea of worship went for me. I always felt I had to do it right. I had to put away things that I am interested in. When I went through my depression that began just a few years ago, I even put way my college studies. And that's why. I felt that maybe they offended God. Part of it was what I was hearing in the church I went to, discussions I had with people there. I thought maybe they were right because that is what I had always been taught, what I had always felt.
Oh, but that just isn't true. He is even in my enjoyments. Worship, of all things, should not be turned into a list of rules. It should not be affected by legalism. What a freeing concept.
This quote says a lot. It says a lot about how we worship. It says a lot about what God may consider worship.
I blogged last summer about the excitement I felt when I first watched the movie Dead Poets Society with its message of carpe diem. I had never thought of just living life to the fullest, without worrying about what may happen. I was taught to worry from a young age, so giving that up just to live in the moment felt so freeing.
I recently read the book The Shack for the first time. When I read the idea that God is present in our enjoyment, I felt that same freedom that I did when I first watched the movie. I cried tears of joy and excitement that God could really view my participation in things that I love as a form of worship.
You see, I always felt that God did not want me to enjoy things too much. Those enjoyments might become an idol. They might become something that I would put above God. I could become proud. I could rebel. So when I enjoyed something, I always had to make sure I included some reference to God in those things. I could read a book or watch a movie, but only after I read the Bible first. I could play music, but be sure to include enough Christian songs in there somewhere. As I've said before, I could enjoy everyday, beautiful things like a shirt that I liked or a piece of jewelry; but if something went wrong, then it must have offended God. So I needed to take it off.
Some Christian denominations even teach that worship has to be done a certain way. It has to be dancing and clapping and shouting and crying. Others teach that it must be quiet and reverent and standing in awe of a holy God.
Oh, but to see God's presence in what I enjoy - that is all new to me. But it is something that God has been leading me to for several months. Over and over again. Ironically, I've always felt God and felt a sense of overpowering worship of Him when I see my sons enjoy their gifts and talents. I've often been moved to tears when I would watch them perform in a dance recital or see them explore nature or when I view their artwork. As G.K. Chesterson said, I would say grace as I experienced these things. But I never thought that same idea of worship went for me. I always felt I had to do it right. I had to put away things that I am interested in. When I went through my depression that began just a few years ago, I even put way my college studies. And that's why. I felt that maybe they offended God. Part of it was what I was hearing in the church I went to, discussions I had with people there. I thought maybe they were right because that is what I had always been taught, what I had always felt.
Oh, but that just isn't true. He is even in my enjoyments. Worship, of all things, should not be turned into a list of rules. It should not be affected by legalism. What a freeing concept.
Comments
Post a Comment