Tag Archives: worship

Hands Up

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In the church I attended as a little girl with my family, we did not clap our hands, raise our hands or extend the hand of friendship during services. We were good midwestern farm folks who loved God, loved our neighbors, and loved the land.

I heard there were some places of worship where people shouted and danced and rolled in the aisles. My young mind couldn’t imagine that God approved of such behavior in church.

Most of my worship as an adult has been spent at a keyboard, playing hymns and worship songs. In this new season of life, I suddenly find my hands free and I don’t know what to do with them.

Sometimes I get the urge to clap. Once in a while, I feel compelled to open my palms and raise them up, just a little bit.

Then I read this:

“Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the Lord.”
Psalm 134:2

“Clap your hands, all you nations; shout to God with cries of joy.”
Psalm 47:1

“Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might.”
Ecclesiastes 9:10

It seems God not only approves, but heartily encourages—even commands—me to do something with my hands. So, I’m learning (albeit a bit self-consciously) how to lift up my hands…

…like a child reaching up to be embraced by my Heavenly Father—

…like a football fan cheering on my team—

…like a friendly wave to my next door neighbor—

… I will seek to be held by the Father,
… I will cheer on the move of the Spirit,
… I will welcome the presence of the Savior.
I will lift up my hands.

“I will praise you as long as I live, and in your name I will lift up my hands.“
Psalm 63:4

The Voices Behind Me

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PB and I sit in the second row from the front most Sundays. Our church is out-growing its small meeting space, so we go early to get our seats. And have coffee. And mingle with people.

The worship team always brings its best. We’ve come to expect top-notch musicianship, outstanding vocals, and deeply meaningful worship. They are incredible.

But it’s not the voices singing from the front of the church that move me.

It’s the voices behind me.

Some weeks I come to worship full of joy—
eager and ready to praise.

Some weeks I drag myself in—
bedraggled and beaten down by the world.

Then we start to sing.

The pros in front nail it, but it’s the untrained, slightly off-key notes wafting up from the back rows that stir my soul. Some other people have had a hard week, too. Some are dealing with bad news. Some are grieving loss. Some are questioning their faith. Some are carrying disappointments.

But they sing.

So I sing, too.

God bless
all the voices behind me.

Through Jesus, therefore,
let us continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise—
the fruit of lips that openly profess his name.
Hebrews 13:15

Casual Worship

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“Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks.  John 4:23

Yesterday I heard someone say, “There’s no such thing as ‘casual worship.'”  I can’t stop thinking about those two words.  What is casual worship?  Is it more than wearing holey jeans and an old tee to church?  Let’s dig into it.

I always start my digs by going to Mr. Webster.  Casual: 1) without definite or serious intention; careless or offhanded.  2) seeming or tending to be indifferent to what is happening; apathetic.  3) irregular, occasional.

Next, I turn to Mr. Roget.  Casual: nonchalant, relaxed, blase, easygoing, lackadaisical, perfunctory, purposeless.

Usually, my next stop is at biblegateway.com to see where the word pops up in the Bible and then take that word and look it up in the original language (Hebrew or Greek).  However, the word “casual” isn’t in the Bible.  Huh.  I follow up by going to all my favorite Bible study and commentary sites and come up with nothing.  Hmm.

It seems that being nonchalant, lackadaisical and occasional doesn’t have a place in true worship.  Or anything else pertaining to an intentional walk with Jesus.  Speaking of Jesus, I can’t think of one time he was indifferent, offhanded or purposeless.  In fact, in light of the extreme measures He went to in order to save our souls, how can we even dare to offer a half-hearted, perfunctory (def: superficial, unenthusiastic) type of worship?

Let’s do the opposite!  Look up the antonyms!  May our worship this week be deliberate, intentional, motivated, purposeful, careful, passionate, fervent and full of spirit!  These are the kind of worshipers the Father is looking for!  May He find it in us!

Undignified Worship

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2 Samuel 6:14 “David, wearing a linen ephod, danced before the Lord with all his might.”

David danced. He danced before the Lord with all his might. Wearing a linen ephod. Some Bible scholars think that means David threw off his royal robe and associated himself with all the other lowly priests and servants. Others believe that David danced in his undies. It’s hard to kick up your heels in a long dress. Mrs. David despised her husband for such an indiscretion, especially in front of the other girls. Understandable. I wouldn’t want my husband waltzing down the aisle on Sunday morning in his Fruit of the Looms.

But David was dancing before the Lord — giving full expression of his deep love for God. He was dancing with all his might,  holding nothing back. After a long, emotional day of ministry, David went home to bless his own household. The Mrs. met him at the door with criticism on her tongue, calling her husband a “vulgar fellow”. David defended his dance by saying it was before the Lord in celebration. Then that great line – “I will become even more undignified than this.” 2 Samuel 6:22

How does it happen? Two extremely different interpretations: 1) an all-out offering of worship, 2) an embarrassment.

Funny, God never reprimanded David. Perhaps God liked David’s dance; maybe God loved the wild and uninhibited expression of worship. Clearly, God was not repulsed by David’s lack of clothes or lack of dignity, but instead reveled in David’s abundant, joyful, all-his-might worship.

What does my worship look like to God? Am I too dignified? Have I ever worshiped in such a heart-felt manner that others were a little embarrassed? Am I willing to praise Him with all my might?