Back to Worship

With everything that has been going on over the last few months, starting with the Carr Fire, I have really been feeling the Lord call me back to worship. Not that I ever moved away from worship, I love worship, it’s my favorite part of Sunday mornings, but I wasn’t living with a heart of worship.

When the Carr Fire hit and we were evacuated, one of the things I really wanted to do was workout. It might seem silly to most, but to me it was a bit of “normalcy”, something I could wrap my head around, something that would help me feel better. We couldn’t get to our house so I went out and bought myself a new pair of tennis shoes so I could do my workouts.

Usually when I workout I listen to loud, fast-paced music, preferably with a good beat, but my heart was hurting and I was an emotional wreck at the time so I decided to try something different.

I turned on worship music.

When I think about working out, worship music is the last thing that comes to mind but my best friend told me she sometimes listens to podcasts, or church messages, while working out so I thought I’d give it a try.

I was surprised to find that it was actually a pretty great fit. I was able to work out my body physically while also working out things emotionally, through the music.

After moving back home I stopped doing it that way and went back to working out to my secular, fast-paced music. But when things started to feel like they were falling apart again (read that post HERE), the Lord reminded me about listening to worship music to work through my stuff.

There’s something so powerful about worship and I think we quickly forget that. We think about worship as the thing we do before the pastor speaks on Sundays but it’s so much more than that.

In the recent weeks my workouts have again been accompanied by worship music, but this time I have it turned up loud to drown out any other distraction or thoughts. I’ve even found myself singing along and proclaiming the words over my spirit as I do lunges for the umpteenth time.

And then I cry.

So many tears have been shed over the last couple of weeks but not all the tears that come from listening to worship music are tears of sadness, some of them are tears my spirit is weeping in response to the truth coming through the speakers.

I was reading in the Psalms sometime last week when I came across this verse in Psalm 8 –

You have built a stronghold by the songs of babies. Strength rises up with the chorus of singing children. This kind of praise has the power to shut Satan’s mouth. Childlike worship will silence the madness of those who oppose you.” Psalm 8:2 (tPt)

This.

This passage, that is why we worship.

This is exactly why worship is SO important.

Our “childlike worship” can shut the mouth of Satan and silence those who are coming against us. Now that is POWER!

Worship isn’t just a few songs we sing before a message on Sunday morning, it’s a powerful tool we can use to shut the mouth of the Accuser.

It’s not just a tool for fighting a battle, it’s also a way in which we can acquire wisdom –

The starting point for acquiring wisdom is to be consumed with awe as you worship Jehovah-God. To receive the revelation of the Holy One, you must come to the one who has living-understanding.” Proverbs 9:10 (tPt)

Worship is a matter of the heart,

From here on, worshiping the Father will not be a matter of the right place but with the right heart.” John 4:24a (tPt)

It’s not about singing the right songs, singing with your best voice, it’s not really about singing at all, it’s about surrendering your spirit to the Lord and aligning your thoughts with His thoughts, with His truth and worshiping Him with gratitude because He is a Father who is fighting for you.

He is a Father who loves you no matter what and worship is one of the places we can meet with Him and encounter His presence.

I know I said I have met the Lord in worship during my workouts but it’s different for everyone. A couple years ago I was having trouble sleeping so every night I’d turn worship music on and let it wash over me as I fell asleep. It worked like a charm and I slept well feeling rejuvenated, rested and filled up in the morning.

Find a time, or a place, that works best for you but most importantly just worship. Just like Matt Redman’s song says, we need to come back to what worship is really about, and the time is now.

When the music fades all is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring something that’s of worth
That will bless your heart, I’ll bring you more than a song
For a song in itself is not what you have required
You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear You’re looking into my heart

I’m coming back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about you,
It’s all about you, Jesus
I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about you,
It’s all about you, Jesus.” – The Heart of Worship