Comments on: Worship Expressions - Part 1 http://www.melwashington.com/2006/01/18/worship-expressions-part-1/ Tue, 07 Sep 2010 00:47:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=1.5.2 Comment on Worship Expressions - Part 1 by: Chai http://www.melwashington.com/2006/01/18/worship-expressions-part-1/#comment-12 Sun, 29 Jan 2006 05:17:53 +0000 http://www.melwashington.com/2006/01/18/worship-expressions-part-1/#comment-12 Worship expressions... (sigh) This can be such an issue for me, because in some ways I hold very iconoclastic views on this. I think of the heart of David as he danced with joy and thanksgiving unto God until his very clothes fell from him. I think about the Samaritan woman that approached Jesus so that He might cast the devil out of her daughter. I think about how the friends' of the man with the palsy broke the roof of someone's house so that they could get to Jesus. My mind goes to the man Jesus healed on the Sabbath and told him to take up his bed and walk. I think about the woman who had an issue of blood and how she sought only to touch the hem of Jesus's garment to be made whole. What am I saying with all of this? I envy David with Godly envy for his ability to worship our God without inhibitions. I am humbled by the courage and faith shown by the Samaritan woman to pursue Christ beyond the status quo. I love how Jesus, being Lord of the Sabbath, heals this man...defying tradition and coming against the self-righteousness of the pharisees. These stories make me want to keep singing even when the music ceases. dance like no one is looking... fall down on my knees even though others are standing and clapping their hands... Can these actions and this line of thinking be uncomfortable to others? Yeah, maybe. Is that a bad thing? (shrug) I used to be one of the ones that was uncomfortable with other peoples' worship expressions. I would look at these people and question why I didn't do some of those things when it was "time" for worship. I was really bothered by this. Like...my clapping on the 3rd beat, whispered singing, and slight shifting of weight on the hips wasn't as good as their praise. It wasn't until I stopped looking around that I was able to truly worship God, and have that intimacy with God that these "expressers" seemed to have. Nathan is definitely correct. It's not a show. We are not trying to see who can be the most pious or artistic in our worship. It should all come from the heart. What does the word say? John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him. At the same time Paul also said let everything be done in decency and in order. So when the man of God is speaking it's definitely not a good time to "dance till you bare", or start speaking in tounges as the Spirit gives utterance. just one man's thoughts... Worship expressions… (sigh) This can be such an issue for me, because in some ways I hold very iconoclastic views on this. I think of the heart of David as he danced with joy and thanksgiving unto God until his very clothes fell from him. I think about the Samaritan woman that approached Jesus so that He might cast the devil out of her daughter. I think about how the friends’ of the man with the palsy broke the roof of someone’s house so that they could get to Jesus. My mind goes to the man Jesus healed on the Sabbath and told him to take up his bed and walk. I think about the woman who had an issue of blood and how she sought only to touch the hem of Jesus’s garment to be made whole. What am I saying with all of this? I envy David with Godly envy for his ability to worship our God without inhibitions. I am humbled by the courage and faith shown by the Samaritan woman to pursue Christ beyond the status quo. I love how Jesus, being Lord of the Sabbath, heals this man…defying tradition and coming against the self-righteousness of the pharisees. These stories make me want to keep singing even when the music ceases. dance like no one is looking… fall down on my knees even though others are standing and clapping their hands…

Can these actions and this line of thinking be uncomfortable to others? Yeah, maybe. Is that a bad thing? (shrug) I used to be one of the ones that was uncomfortable with other peoples’ worship expressions. I would look at these people and question why I didn’t do some of those things when it was “time” for worship. I was really bothered by this. Like…my clapping on the 3rd beat, whispered singing, and slight shifting of weight on the hips wasn’t as good as their praise. It wasn’t until I stopped looking around that I was able to truly worship God, and have that intimacy with God that these “expressers” seemed to have.

Nathan is definitely correct. It’s not a show. We are not trying to see who can be the most pious or artistic in our worship. It should all come from the heart. What does the word say?
John 4:23
But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

At the same time Paul also said let everything be done in decency and in order. So when the man of God is speaking it’s definitely not a good time to “dance till you bare”, or start speaking in tounges as the Spirit gives utterance.

just one man’s thoughts…

]]> Comment on Worship Expressions - Part 1 by: nathan http://www.melwashington.com/2006/01/18/worship-expressions-part-1/#comment-11 Fri, 20 Jan 2006 16:09:53 +0000 http://www.melwashington.com/2006/01/18/worship-expressions-part-1/#comment-11 I like to think of this way: Sunday mornings and corporate worship times are just that. One should feel free to express themselves in their worship. But it should be expressed in their worship outside of the corporate gatherings before it is introduced into the gatherings. That keeps your hearts right, and prevents it from becoming a show. If it is going to be a distraction to those around you, then keep it in your private worship. Gatherings are not the only times we should express ourselves in worship of such an awesome God. I like to think of this way: Sunday mornings and corporate worship times are just that. One should feel free to express themselves in their worship. But it should be expressed in their worship outside of the corporate gatherings before it is introduced into the gatherings. That keeps your hearts right, and prevents it from becoming a show. If it is going to be a distraction to those around you, then keep it in your private worship. Gatherings are not the only times we should express ourselves in worship of such an awesome God.

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