Worship

Sunday was my turn to help out in kids church. I really struggled getting up as I just wanted to be in the big church with all the adults, worshipping and hearing from God’s Word. I dragged myself to the church and began the “task” of setting up and getting myself ready for all the kids to come. I asked God the night before to somehow make himself real to me so that I could be ministered to also while I was ministering to the children. God, how could you meet me and what lesson do you have for me while I teach them their lesson?

The morning went smooth. My heart was detached from everything as I realized more and more that this was the last place I wanted to be today. The girls chatted with me and the words droned on in my head not really hearing what they were saying. I found it very tiring to be in a place my heart wasn’t.

It came time for worship. We do this each time before worship begins….

Worship is not about me (point to our self)
Worship is not about you (point to others)
Worship IS about JESUS (point to heaven)

Worship is not for me (point to our self)
Worship is not for you (point to others)
Worship is ONLY for JESUS (point to heaven)

God met me there…. through the mouths of children… I saw all these children point around to themselves and the room and up to heaven and there God met me. They worshipped with pure hearts… jumping if they felt like it…. raising their hands…. sitting quietly…. shouting praises… I had heard this before and I’ve repeated these words myself with the children. Why would God choose now for me to hear them?

John 4:24 says “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and truth.” How often do I wonder what others think of me if I were to raise my hands or kneel while worshipping? How often do I take my eyes off Jesus and look at those around me? What will others think of me if I have tears streaming down my face? Will they think something’s wrong and not understand that God has me in His heavenly embrace?

My house is constantly surrounded with worship music. It’s my way of filling my mind with truth and reminders of God’s love. The past couple weeks as music has been playing my kids have seen me pause from my tasks and join God in those moments I was led to… moments where I stood and raised my hands towards heaven, closed my eyes, or just wept as God met me. I’ve struggled with worry if my children thought I was crazy… now I know and have a peace that it’s okay…. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and truth. Worship IS ABOUT Jesus…. Worship IS FOR Jesus. God met me where I felt I couldn’t be met and shared this truth with me.