closet hand raiser

Can you hear the sound of the beating drums? Can you feel rhythm in the strums of the guitar strings? Does that sound awaken your soul? Does that sound awaken your flesh? The sounds blend together in a song; do you allow the Spirit inside be filled and praised or does your mind race with distaste and you become a ridged unmovable being?

Do you belt it out with ceaseless worship? Do you close your eyes and lift your hands in sweet surrender? Have you dared let go to the “what will they think?” or “How will I look?” Do you stare down the swaying movements or clapping hands?

As I think through all these things, I have to admit that I am guilty of not allowing my soul be filled with praise.  At times I have fought back the urge to raise my hands up to the heavens and allow myself to surrender…  I have been at fault to be consumed by those around me and not allow my soul to be consumed by the Holy Spirit.  In all actuality what does that even look like?? To be consumed by the Holy Spirit, full on worship of our Heavenly Father… I honestly do not know. 

I am a closet hand raiser… In the car in my “own” worship time I will shout out in praise with hands raised and in tears over what Jesus has done for me… Seriously TEARS!! (When is the last time you have wept over what God has done for us through His son?)  Why, when I sept into“church”, do I become shy/fearful/restraining/solemn???? (It is embarrassing to admit.)

“In essentials, unity.  In nonessentials, liberty.  In everything, charity.”- Phillipp Melanchthon

Why as “believers” do we feel it our duty to critique every single thing about the worship “segment” of the Sunday morning service?? Seriously, I have left the service, gone to lunch and just critiqued the entire worship time!

"The beat was off”; “that song was too hard to sing to”; “couldn’t worship to that song because it was sung in a weird key”; “Oh, what was that person doing up there singing a solo, they were horrible”; “did you see that person clapping??”; “umm, I think I need my hearing checked after today, can you believe how loud it was”,;“ok, so that singer was totally trying to bring glory to himself and not God, for real!”; “Really, a drum solo/guitar solo/horn solo/piano solo/violin solo/singer solo???" BTW, I am no one who needs to ever critique music!! I never know what key to sing in and I am so jealous of those special people who can actually harmonize!! BUT.. I all too often have fallen into the category of critiquing an or criticizing the worship service. UGGGH!!!

  It is up to you how you view the “worship” at your church.  You can view it as a performance or you can become a part of the worship by closing your eyes to all that is around you and make it between you and your Savior. It is about the HEART of worship… not the HOW. If you are involved in the worship you will not critique it as a performance and you will no longer view it as a performance. The ultimate problem and stumbling block of worship is SELF… The more that I remove my opinions and preferences the more I realize that it is my approach before my Father that matters. I realize it is not FOR me or about ME at all, it is FOR HIM and about HIM. Worship the way God made you to worship…not YOUR way but HIS way. Not for yourself to make you feel good but for HIM and HIS GLORY.
So thankful for the amazing gifts and talents God creates us all with.  They are all unique and individual. I am a music lover and I so appreciate the people God has placed in our lives to lead us into worshiping our Savior.

Dear Lord, I thank you for this day! I thank you for the love you poured out on this world through your Son.  Thank you for the sounds of music and for the boldness of those who use it to lead others in worshiping your name.  I ask you to forgive me for making it about me all to often and forgetting WHO it is about.  I love you. I pray this in Your Name, Amen

“I Firmly believe that the moment our hearts are emptied of selfishness and ambition and self-seeking and everything that is contrary to God’s law, the Holy Spirit will come and fill every corner of our hearts; but if we are full of pride and conceit, ambition, and self-seeking pleasure and the world, there is no room for the Spirit of God. I also believe that many a man is praying to God to fill him, when he is full already with something else. Before we pray that God would fill us, I believe we ought to pray that He would empty us.  There must be an emptying before there can be a filling; and when the heart is turned upside down, and everything that is contrary to God is turned out, then the Spirit will come…”  -D.L. Moody