Transforming Worship

Yes. I'm sharing my thoughts aloud! Sometimes I feel like Isaiah when he cried out to God,

"Woe to me!" I cried. "I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty." Isaiah 6:5 (niv).

Doesn't that make you shiver?? If not, you're standing far from God!

"These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men." Matthew 15:8-9 (niv).

I hate superficial praise. I hate worshippers who comes in with an intentional "half-heartedness". In my experience, discussions about worship tend to focus on the mind, what you know or what you have learned (traditions & knowledge), not in the heart. "True" worship -- we are often taught -- is more about the mind thinking right about God rather than the heart's hunger for Him.

But the words of our Savior resound the undeniable call to worship that enters the intellect: "God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24).

We've been inclined to conclude that mind is the spirit, but the Bible shows that heart is a better candidate, indeed! "In truth" certainly suggests "participation of the mind" in worship, but it is inescapably the second and most dependent on the heart first.

The heart is controlled by affections but more vulnerable to deception than the mind. But to base worship on the mind is to entertain delusion:

The mind is less subjected to deception than the heart.
The mind is the main means to "contact" God in worship as quoted in Job 11:7, "Can you fathom the mysteries of God?"

Of course! What you know about God contributes to worship but the Word of God clearly indicates that such a person may not be looking for something brilliant but something that is broken. I love this verse, "The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart - these, O God, You will not despise." Psalm 51:17. If we're to exercise worship with our minds, it may deduce God. Only hearts ignited in worship and delighting God will, in turn, experience His desire to delight us back!

Allow me to be specific in how we are to delight God in worship:

1. True worship treasures God's presence.
God welcomes those into his presence who want him. The quest may be one of desperation or of delight, of frantic need or of a loving hunger for fellowship, but the motivation is clear-and so is his pleasure with it.

In Exodus 33 and 34, a tender and powerful exchange takes place between God and Moses, spanning the range from an intimate face-to-face encounter to a dramatic declaration by the Almighty. Central point of this Scripture is the cry of Moses: "Now therefore, I pray, if I have found grace in your sight, show me now your way, that I may know you and that I may find grace in your sight." To which God replies, "My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest" (Ex. 33:13-15). Shortly following this, God displays his glory to Moses-as sure a sign of his pleasure and presence as he ever gives (Ex. 40:33-38; 1 Kings 1:8-11).

One author quoted in regards to a constant repetitions in how we worship God: "We've been vigilant in seeking constant renewal of the practice because we know that even the finest spiritual habits are vulnerable to the arthritis of ritualism-when form loses its focus. But with gentleness, the Holy Spirit has a way of drawing us back to our "first love"-to a renewed hunger and thirst for the Living God."

How true this is, "arthritis of ritualism - when form loses its focus".. It is necessary, when we gather together in worship, that we surrender our traditions and thoughts to the Lord allowing the Holy Spirit to work in the very deep core of our hearts. Certainly, this will draw us back to God with a renewed sense of worship. This eliminates comparison between our past worship experiences to the current worship experience.

Such worship encourages people to "fall in love" with God. If the phrase fall in love offends anyone (as it once did me-it wasn't sufficiently "objective") perhaps we might learn to be equally offended by "reason" that distances the heart from a passion to simply know and love God.

2. True worship humbles the heart.
In Isaiah 6:1-8, the abject cry of a sinful man, "Woe is me, for I am ruined," was not something that came to mind, but of the heart, a self-discovery made upon entering God's presence. In other words, Isaiah was pierced in his heart knowing he's doomed!

Isaiah says "I saw the Lord" with neither apology nor arrogance; it was a breakthrough of grace that produced a breakup of pride. Isaiah, a member of the educated elite of Judah, demonstrates a childlike humility and teachability. Therefore, Isaiah modeled to us how we're to worship God, "his cry, without a consciousness, shows an unreserved availability to God." We're to follow Isaiah's example of deep, hard-core humility!

Because of the importance of humility, years ago I began encouraging people to become more expressive in worship. Of course, a few things do challenge our pride more than the simplest summons to expressiveness. We're to be like a child because Jesus commanded us to be like little children. In this way, we can experience a childlike liberty in expressing themselves in worship.

One of our members, with the best of motives, once suggested, "Mark, if the leaders teach and invite people to lift their hands in worship, I think our church would grow faster," and then added, "I think you might injure some people's pride." "Injure pride?" I said gently. "Why, I was hoping to kill it altogether."

Though we're to "come as little children before the Father", pride tends to insist on finding a way to justify and preserve itself (even in church). I try to help people learn the humility of Isaiah. If you have seen a fellow brother or sister falling flat on the floor, or raising his/her arms up in the air, what would your response be? Only this will help them view God afresh and pave the way to deeply felt confession and purification. Few things challenge our pride more than the simplest summons to expressiveness.

3. True worship sacrifices and then expects something from God.
Hebrews 11:6 puts it clearly: "He that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of those who humbly seek him."

Worship always brings a sacrifice to God, that "he that comes," whether with praise, an offering, or by "laying down" something instructed by the Holy Spirit, is presenting something of himself to God. Simultaneously we are told that the worshiper is to believe something will be given in return by God himself-something rewarding, benevolent, and good.

Some try to defend God against human selfishness and refuse all talk of "reward." But the truth is, God freely offers the reward of his blessing and delights to do so. He doesn't yell, "Don't you dare give me something and suppose you're manipulating me to give back!" Instead, his Word simply says, in effect, "Since you come to me, I would expect you to believe I will reward your quest."

Of course, tithes or offerings (which are, indeed, appropriate and biblical "sacrifices") aren't to be a tit-for-tat bargain with God! But God's call to worship is attended by his own commitment to bless us. The promise of God in Malachi 3:10 ("Try me now in this ... if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it") reveals a largess in the heart of God toward human giving-and the justice of our expecting a blessing in return.

4. True worship extends God's love.
If God-pleasing worship addresses human need, it also will extend God's love to others. It is, thus, unsurprising that the "greatest commandment" issues into "the second, which is like (in importance) unto it." Vertically, we're to love and worship God while horizontally, to love the neighbor. This means such things as: Forgiving others, seeking peace and reconciliation day-by-day. Gracious, lifestyle evangelism in both conduct and communication, living out a believable, winsome witness.

We're to have an unselfish, servant-minded attitude in reaching out to others in need. Such a person has a "heart" to care for victims of neglect and injustice. It's not always that easy to do but it's a privilege to serve and bring our community to Jesus.

Perhaps, we ought to have a "Ministry time," which can lasts about 10 minutes as we prepare then direct people to form small groups, to share needs, then pray. This can be an essential act to our effectiveness as a congregation.

"Ministry time" accomplishes four things:

(1) it is a way to express God's love evoked during worship,
(2) it helps people use their ministry gifts in the assembly,
(3) it allows people to express themselves personally and to care and pray for one another, and
(4) it lays the foundation for the invitation-it is infinitely easier to invite people to receive the love of God in Jesus Christ after they have had a personal encounter with some people who have shown it!

With such sacrifices, God seems to be well pleased!!