Genuinely Abandon Yourself...

Sunday worship is so important to me. Not because I get to see all my friends, although... that's a plus. Simply because it refills to my spiritual gas tank (along with Wednesday evening Bible studies, and my daily devotions). Even when I'm feeling low, a good time of worship on Sunday morning, or any day for that matter, can truly wash my heart with joy, no matter how sad I am!

Let me share one experience I had this past weekend with you... I'm certain you will be as touched as I was. We sang a song in worship yesterday called "Yes, Lord" (You Tube video below). I love this song, and it even refers to one of my favorite scriptures that you can see on the banner of my blog: "...Weeping may remain for a night, but rejoicing comes in the morning." Psalm 30:5b. Anyway, I was watching our friend and his son ("G") worshiping together to this song, and it touched my heart to the very core

His son is two, and he has downs syndrome. He is the most loving, adorable, sweet child (although he has quite a bit of "all-boy" in him, too). My friend had placed his son on his shoulders during worship. "G" speaks mostly with sign language, and when we sang "Yes, Lord, Yes, Lord, Yes, Yes, Lord..." he would sign it out by moving his adorable little chubby closed fist up and down, and raising his arms in worship. His smile was genuine, his heart was sincere, his eyes were glowing. He gets a genuine look of joy when his parents prompt him to "praise Jesus" -- he grins, and lifts his hands in the air (Praising Jesus is something both his parents have firmly rooted in his young and tender heart, as well as his siblings' hearts). My friend was doing the same hand motions along with his son, and both son and dad had beautiful smiles on their faces. Soon enough, several of us around them were doing the same hand motions to the song, and I was trying to teach them to Hunter.

What touched me the most was to truly see the innocence in the way they were worshiping God together. It brought to mind how God really ministers to me when I can let myself worship with total abandon and complete joy... as an innocent child does. It frees the soul, it renews the heart, and it invigorates the mind when you clear your thoughts and focus on the Lord through worship!

Have you ever noticed how sometimes we can be ever so stately and stoic, and ... well ... stuffy ... in worship? Many of us feel there is a "time and place" for certain behavior. In the sanctuary, you behave with dignity and respect. Why ... everyone knows that you're supposed to worship the Lord with some modicum of decorum. You certainly don't raise your hands, bounce around, and [GASP] clap in worship. AHEM!

[insert screeching record player sound here]

Is that really true? No... I don't think it is. It's funny, but many Christians are afraid to raise their hands and worship the Lord freely because we're afraid of what our friends might think of us... or because we feel silly, or self conscious. But, let me share one freeing thought with you: the more you trust and seek the Lord, the more he begins to free you from the worries of what others will think of you when you show your true and intimate feelings of worship to Him?

This thought ... this freeing, liberating thought ... goes a lot further than just encouraging you to raise your hands in congregational worship... Why, my husband and I have even been known to raise our hands in worship ... in the car, people! THE CAR! I'm sure the people driving around us on the highway think we're seriously cracked.

But think about it... there is such freedom in letting go of your inhibitions ... of letting go of yourself ... and of having a heart before God that is patterned after an innocent child. Even King David abandoned his inhibitions and danced before the Lord with genuine joy and enthusiasm (2 Samuel 6:14). He actively worshiped the Lord without any cares -- in fact, David chose to set his pride aside for God - and having done all that, God called him a man after His own heart. How awesome would it be for God to call you, or me a man or woman after His own heart? But despite all of our own inadequacies or inabilities to loose our inhibitions in the act of worship like David did, the fact still remains... not only are we created to worship, but we are also commanded to worship. (Psalm 150)

God doesn’t command us to praise Him because He needs us to "pump HIM up," but rather, because we need what praise can do for us!. When we praise and worship God ... it does something for us! Now, I'm not saying that you must dance in worship in order for it to be "true" worship, because there are all kinds of styles of worship that are true worship. I'm just trying to point out that many times, we become too consumed with ourselves to allow the free expression of our worship to our Lord -- in other words, if we're not "feeling it," we're not "doing it." It's easy to praise and worship the Lord when we've been blessed, or when we're happy... it's much harder to do it when we're not... but whether you're happy or sad, the reward is the same... God comes down and meets us where we are, and fellowships with us. He lifts our spirits. He renews us. He cares for us. He feeds us. He refreshes us. He holds us. He invigorates us.

Trust me when I say... Little "G" hasn't learned yet how seriously adults judge each other. And better yet, "G" isn't concerned with what society thinks is appropriate behavior for worship... I guarantee you that!

It causes me to think about a game I play with my son. I place my finger on my mouth, and pat it on my mouth while I say "hmmmmm..." pretending like I'm thinking, all the while, getting closer, and closer, and closer yet to him. Finally, I grab him and tickle him until he is squealing in delight, jumping around, wriggling, and laughing. I hug him, kiss him, squeeze him in all his ticklish spots, and roll around with him. Trust me when I say ... he is not thinking about what mommy is going to think is appropriate behavior at that very moment in time! He just knows that I'm loving on him, and he's reacting genuinely to that.

Now, picture God just loving on you, ministering to you through music... wrapping his arms around you, throwing you up in the air, and showing you how much he loves you. Would you respond to Him in a reserved fashion? I hope not. I hope you would throw your arms in the air and run to him like a child free of any pretenses... jumping in his arms and allowing him to twirl you around and around. After all ... Jesus challenged us to change and become like little children and NOT be frightened of being passionate!

Trust me when I say ... when you throw yourself into worship with a child-like attitude... not caring what those around you think of you're actions or how you look ... Jesus WILL MEET YOU, and he WILL FREE you, and he WILL BLESS you.

I invite you to throw caution to the wind this Sunday... whether you worship in a traditional church with a choir and quiet hymns played on a piano or organ (or both), or in a church that sings a cappella (no music, just voices), or in a church with a full band, or a full symphony, or maybe just a guitar or a violin ... free yourself to worship recklessly -- raise your arms, shout out amen, whatever your heart desires... conquer that quiet voice in your mind telling you how silly you'll look or sound, and loose yourself in the presence of the Lord. Pull out your childish personality and worship passionately! Just don't do it in only a linen ephod --- please worship fully clothed!

"And he said: "I tell you the truth, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." Matthew 18:3

Thanks to Sue at Praise & Coffee who reminded me of this in her Monday post, because ironically, she posted about the very same song!