A frequently discussed topic lately has been how people worship and what exactly worship means to us. We step into a church expecting to be spiritually fed and we listen to the music expecting it to appeal to our desires and particular tastes. As this discussion has been circling, it reminded me of a brief encounter I had the other day.
A couple of days ago, I randomly met a guy that happened to see the Lifechurch.tv t-shirt I was wearing. As we began chit-chatting, he mentioned that he had been to Lifechurch once. I asked him what he thought. The only response he had was that he’s never been to a church that opened with Evanescence. I laughed to myself. I responded by agreeing that, yes, Lifechurch is definitely different than the typical church most of us grew up in. Unlike most, we live in today and strive to lead tomorrow, all the while realizing the demands of this day in age and the generations to come are ever-changing. He mentioned that he grew up in a Catholic church and that form of worship was a little extreme. Although he agreed that the messages were great and spiritually fulfilling, he hasn’t been back since.
So, here’s my question, do we walk away from a church that feeds us because we don’t always relate to the music? More than that, why do we walk away from something that solely serves to worship this God that gave us life and freedom?
As I mentioned earlier, this is a common topic that I’m seeing everywhere…Fellow Bloggers: Libby, Terry and Adam. They pointed me to this amazing video. Watch it and tell me what you think! What does worship mean to you?
I was listening to Chris Spradlin speak today and he made this comment, “A lot of our lives are marked by struggle.When do we break free and live in purpose?”When he said this, I sat there and pondered what exactly that meant to me…or maybe even what that meant to you.
In the Bible it says that “A mans heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps.” So, why is it that our lives are marked by struggle and why does most of the world constantly live in pain?If we are earnestly seeking God, why aren’t we breaking free from this “struggle”?Is it that we hear God’s voice and not like what we hear, so we turn away and keep searching for a different answer?Do we cry out to Him for direction, yet disregard the path He’s offered and continue to live in this state of conflict?There is perfect timing in everything, but God says, “Ask, and it shall be given you.Seek, and ye shall find.Knock and the door will open unto you.”
I definitely think it’s sometimes hard to decipher the difference between the thoughts in your head and the whispers of God.But, when your heart and mind align with God…should there really be much deciphering?
In the end, we struggle because we can’t find freedom.But, in reality, can we not find freedom because we didn’t hear God’s voice…didn’t seek God’s voice…or was it because we didn’t like God’s answer?
So, I was listening to a Rob Bell sermon as I worked on this amazingly, exciting bank reconciliation and in the midst of all the numbers I hear this message and wondered what Justice, Mercy and Faithfulness looked like to me.More than that, I wondered what it looked like to you?This is what he says…
You are so consumed with being in a right relationship with God in your own personal holiness and cleanliness. You spend so much time making sure you don’t get gnats in your wine, that in the process you have neglected the bigger issues of the suffering of the world. And because God’s heart beats for the suffering of the world and because you have missed the more important matters, all of your efforts at cleanliness have actually led you to be unclean before God. “You strain out a gnat, but in the process you’re swallowing a camel” (Matthew 23:24).
Sometimes, you will hear somebody talk about it’s all about me and God. Sometimes you will hear among Christians, spirituality defined, that when it all comes down to it…it’s just about me and God. That sounds great, but the problem is, it’s not what Jesus teaches. The obsession of the Pharisees, which started as a righteous, good, beautiful impulse to be right before Jesus…led them to miss the larger issues of justice, mercy, faithfulness. Which God never stops talking about….Jesus never stops talking about….the first Christians never stop talking about.
Be very careful when somebody takes their relationship with God and says all that matters is me and God. God isn’t just interested in saving you. God isn’t just interested in redeeming me. God isn’t just interested in helping you work through your stuff. God isn’t just interested in your own morality, purity and your devotion to Jesus. God wants to use us to do something about the greatest suffering in the world. Spirituality for Jesus is measured in whether you have received the grace of God. Now convert all of that blessing into the blessing of others…take this beautiful gift that God has given you of life…this beautiful gift of new life in Christ…and spread it around.
He died for us so that we could live. And He would do it a million times over and for you or me alone. He loves us that much. So, how much do we love Him? Do we love Him enough to forget ourselves and come to the aid of the world?
So, this is the question…Are we individually devoted to God…Are we individually working for justice, mercy and faithfulness? Do we love others as Christ loves us…and are we making an impact that affects the world and is not solely for personal gain?If you think about it, if we are truly devoted to Christ we wouldn’t have to worry about ourselves; because we’re essentially His.In the end, we would live for the cause…we would live for Him.
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?Actually, who are you not to be?You are a child of God.Your playing small does not serve the world.There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won’t feel insecure around you.We are all meant to shine, as children do.We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.It’s not just in some of us; it’s in everyone.And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
Tonight was a good night! Seriously, God is good! I don’t know what it is. There are many times when extraordinary moments happen where you’re left in awe and in love with God. Yet, this wasn’t an extraordinary moment. It was a rather ordinary moment in an ordinary setting that all of a sudden became infused with something else. With meaning. Significance. Hope. I was left with a feeling of peace and joy. I came home with a smile on my face because I know without a doubt that my God lives. He lives in me and he lives in every moment, whether we choose to recognize it or not! He’s filled me with a passion and a desire to be so much more than I ever dreamt for myself. He’s given me a life and that life…. I am definitely loving!
“Everyone gives their life for what they believe. Sometimes people believe in little or nothing and yet they give their life to that little or nothing. One life is all we have, and we live it, and then it’s gone. But to give up what you are and to live without belief is more terrible than dying, even more terrible than dying young.” Joan of Arc, while choosing to die at the stake bc she would not recant on her commitment to France.
