On Worship

I've been thinking a lot about my relationship with my true prince, Jesus.  I want my relationship with him to be first and foremost in my life.  So far I've tried waking up at 7:30 every morning to enjoy quiet time with him without any distractions.  I've woken up, but my one distraction makes it really hard to even read. Sleepyness!  My eyes go blurry and I can't even enjoy reading his word and my brain just zones out when I try to pray. But I'm sure with some consistent work on waking up, in a week I'll be doing great!  (I'll let you all know)

Today as I read Authentic Beauty this passage really struck my heart. Bare with me it is a little long.

Have you ever noticed how most worship services are filled with solemn-faced, distracted people, singing along mindlessly, more out of obligation than sincere adoration of their Prince?  Even in more expressive churches, I have talked with many worshipers who admit that they close their eyes and raise their hands simply because that is what is expected of them.  I believe the lack of sincere and heartfelt worship we often see today comes from the lack of Christians truly knowing their Lord.  Worship leaders often try to make the experience more enjoyable by adding cool guitar solos or smoke and lights on the stage.  but mere entertainment can never replace true, heartfelt worship.

There is something missing in most modern-day worship-- something I call tender reverence for our Prince.  We sing a lot of songs about our failures or desires, we shout out a lot of personal requests to heaven, and we may even get an emotional worship high by dancing, japing or clapping along with the beat.  There is a time and place for having fun, singing little mindless ditties about taking a bath, or scratching someone's back.  but how often do we tune out the rest of the world and stand speechless in wonder and awe at the incredible majesty of our Prince?  How often do we sing about His incredible love and sacrifice with tears of gratitude streaming unashamedly down our faces?  How often do we fall on our faces in adoration, stunned y His awesome power and amazed by His infinite tenderness?

I never understood what true worship was until I experienced deep, daily intimacy with my Prince in my inner sanctuary.  When I truly began to know Him, suddenly I couldn't help singing to Him of my adoration or falling on my knees in awe before HIm.  Sincere, tender reverence for my Prince became a natural outflow of my intimacy with Him, not only in worship services, but also as a lifestyle of worship every day.  nurturing ongoing intimacy with our Prince produces an effortless outpouring of adoration for Him.

Leslie Ludy Authentic Beauty Pg.183-184

Isn't that amazing to think!  Worship surrounding only him.  I mean I totally know how it feels to just go with the flow and to just robotically sing along at church, sometimes it's really tough to even worship at all. Sometimes the song just doesn't touch your soul cords, you don't understand what the words mean, so you just ignore them...I mean, got loves our pure, undivided worship.  and I want to give that to him.  I want to center my life around worshiping him and living solely for him!

Love always,
S