6/17/2004 05:40:17 AM|||Laura|||

I'm still contemplating worship. I have always been frankly envious of those people who really get into worship at church. You know the ones. Their hands are lifted, they're maybe jumping up and down a bit, or dancing - let's call it moving rhythmically so as not to offend. They're singing loud, often off-key, with no regard to their neighbor. They're not even thinking of the person standing next to them. I have had brief moments in that zone, but I don't live there. When I can put my whole focus on God, thinking of his goodness, mercy, glory, awesomeness, faithfulness... to have such total concentration on Him, that my surroundings cease to exist, and it feels as if I'm not singing, but my voice is just pulled out of my body without my own volition. I think heaven will be like that.

In the meantime, absent those brief moments in the "zone," what about continually worshipping Him, praying unceasingly, walking it out? I Googled for "everyday worship" and the first result was a sermon from a Presbyterian church in Singapore that sums it up nicely:

• Worship is a lifestyle, not just a Sunday ritual.
• Worship is more than our morning devotions - it is the whole day.
• Everything we do has worshipful significance before God. As Luther puts it: A dairymaid can milk cows to the glory of God.
• The life of a plumber can be as worshipful as that of a pastor.
• Everything we do should be done ... as working for the Lord (Col 3:23). This gives an ethical edge to every action in our lives.
• Our Christian service is part of this everyday worship (Rom 12:3-8).
  

This seems to me to be the greater part of pursuing holiness. And if it led to an increase of time in the "zone" I wouldn't complain. [grin]

|||108747335022553831|||Everyday worship