Worship is...

I am finishing up my internship this week. I have learned many valuable lessons during this time, and been encouraged more than I have been in my entire life. I come out of this semester hopeful about my future. As I look behind I have few regrets, as I look ahead I see endless possibilities. God is good. He is working behind the scenes in my life working together those things for the good (Rom 8:28), having thoughts higher than my thoughts and ways higher than my ways.

God is showing me that it okay just to be who he created me to be. I don't have to impress him or anyone else. His love is not conditional, but sealed with nails.

With that said, my blog is obviously going in a different direction than before. I am no longer doing Oswald Chambers journaling, but am now back to sharing-life-with-the-masses. This blog is about sharing my observations and stories from my life, my opinions, and my thoughts about my journey.

With that said, the other night I attended a chapel service. I helped set up communion and served the elements to the receiving students. There was a part in the service where people were invited to, "Come up and give God the precious in there lives." As I looked objectively at this activity I noticed the diversity of people and how they responded to this "alter call." Some came very willingly and expressed gobs of emotion, people cried, lifted their hands, danced, and bowed.

Others stood with their hands in their pockets. They seemed like they were obligated to be there, but really did not want to be. Still others sat in their chairs showing no response at all. Such diversity in one room.

Of course worship is not entirely about raising hands, singing songs, or giving lip service to God. Worship is not entirely prayer, fasting, speaking in tongues or feeding the homeless. Worship is not entirely reading your Bible, encouraging your friends, or loving people. Worship is not entirely about responding to altar calls, doing what the pastor tells you to do, or not cursing. Worship is not entirely about abstaining from sex before marriage, masturbation, or overeating.

Worship is Romans 12:1, "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.

This includes all of the above and then some. To be a living sacrifice you have to be willing to die. To die to your personal opinions and preferences. You have to be willing to do whatever it takes to be holy and pleasing to God. You don't have to do any of the above to make God love you any more than the next person, but if you REALLY want to KNOW GOD doing the above is not a bad idea.

What I am trying to say is, if you have never done something (such as raise your hands), why not try it? I am sure it is not going to hurt God's feelings if you do or don't, but you never know what kind of affect it my have on you. God does not have to respond to your gestures of "worship" but what if he does? It would change your mind about him forever.

God's presence is not invoked by some magical power, but doing some of the above exercises helps prepare the hearts and minds of the believer to receive from God by having open minds and open hearts.