What is Worship Really?

I recently attended a women's conference with Kathy Troccoli as the speaker and Travis Cottrell as the worship leader. It was an awesome conference. I love being in the presence of 800 women who openly and or expressly worship the Lord. Then on Sunday Travis and his band was at our church as well and did an awesome concert of praise and worship music. Honestly it was a let down there after coming from the conference, and not due to the singing or performance - they put their hearts and souls into it. The congregation for the most part stood still, with little or no expression on their faces and occasionally would clap a little (yes, I attend a Baptist church if you haven't figured that out yet).

So how are we supposed to worship the Lord and what is true worship? I believe the answer is different for each person. I personally was not raised in church and do not have any inhibitions. However, I often feel restrained during worship because most people are restrained. When I am in the presence of the Lord, I get so excited that sometimes I want to leap out of my seat and shout hallelujah. For me to truly worship the Lord, it has to be expressive. By this I mean, clapping, raising my hands and my face to Him, my eyes have to be closed as well (not falling down in the aisle or whopping people on the head). My most awesome worship experiences happen when I am in the car alone with praise and worship music blasting. Of course, this probably freaks out the other drivers on the road to see me with both hands in the air and my eyes closed! (Just kidding, I keep my eyes open). I also have awesome worship experiences down on my knees during morning prayer time.

Now others can have true worship experiences without moving a muscle and looking straight forward with a smile on their face. I admire these people, because for me being still means my mind is wandering. In my church, the still worship is most widely used. What is wrong with expressive worship though? I can't find anywhere in the Bible that says, "Thou shalt worship with out movement or expression on thine face." Yes, you should be reverent, which simply means we should honor God. I feel like God is truly honored when we give Him our full attention and our entire heart. For me giving to Him is more active. It was for David in the Bible also. In 2 Samuel 12-16, it says David celebrated with all His might, dancing, and leaping in the streets, praising the Lord.

Here are just a few other verses that refer to worship.
Psalm 134:2 "Lift up your hands in the sanctuary and praise the LORD."
Psalm 149:3 "Let them praise His name with dancing and make music to Him with tambourine and harp."
The following chapter of Psalms I love: Psalm 150
1 Praise the LORD. Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens.
2 Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness.
3 Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre,
4 praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flute,
5 praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.
6 Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD.
Isn't that awesome, I'd feel like leaping and shouting hallelujah right now.

So my question is, how come people are totally comfortable jumping up and down, shouting, and make pig noises or whatever your mascot is, yet embarrassed to express your love to the Lord.

What is the most awesome gift you could receive? Let's just say it is a red convertible corvette. If my husband led me outside one day with my eyes closed, and when he told me to open them there sat a cherry red, convertible corvette with black leather interior and a big red ribbon on it and he said, "Honey, this is my gift to you just because I love you." I can promise you, the neighbors would see some leaping, shouting and dancing in the street!

Jesus gave us the greatest gift of all when He died on the cross for us, so we could live in heaven for eternity )if we accept Him as our personal saviour), just because He loves us. Yet, are we truly worshipping Him with all our heart?

Friend, don't live life in your comfort zone or any kind of a daze or zone - live it to the fullest praising and worshipping the one true God with all your might (whether that means simply in your heart, or with an outpouring of expression, or simply with a lifted head or hand)!

Have a blessed day.