Worship (1)

"Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in him!" -Psalm 34:8

Throughout this past weekend, I was constantly inundated by God's grace and goodness.  It seems that I am experiencing a season of happiness, one that I am so thankful for.  However, I do not want this season to be taken for granted, or cause me to look away from the eternal peace that supports me through ALL times.  That is why the source of this happiness should ALWAYS be recognized as Christ.

Sunday's service at Vintage 21 seems to be a focal point in my recent joy.  Admittedly, I went into the service after a five hour car ride, so I may have had a little more energy than normal.  After the message, we sang three songs.  During each one, it truly felt like the entire congregation was crying out with one voice.  While the church body in that building was singing I felt the presence of God more clearly and acutely than I ever have before in a corporate worship setting.  There was no anxiety or hindrance in the act of praising God.  Hands lifted high, kneeling in prayer, or just breathing in the spirit, we worshiped.  It was pure, and it was of Christ.  It was also from Christ, "For from him and through him and to him are all things" (Romans 11:36).
How freeing a verse!  I was given the ability and opportunity to worship with reckless abandon.  That is why I was filled with a joy that is difficult to describe!  My face was radiant and unashamed (Psalm 34:5), but not by me or for me, only from and for Christ.

What followed for the next hour or two was what can only be described as joy bordering on annoyance to those around me.  Believe me, there are witnesses.  But after the energy died down, I didn't sink into a disconsolate state wishing that I could feel like I had earlier.  That's exactly the point, it wasn't a feeling.  It was worship of the Almighty.  An image even began to form of me and all the people that I hold dear lying in a field together and praising God.  No instruments.  Not even looking at each other, but looking straight up to the heavens and praising Christ with reckless abandon.  Oh how I pray that this would be ingrained in my memory forever, and that I would never fail to see the greatness of God.



"From you comes my praise in the great congregation... All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the Lord, and all the families of the nations shall worship before you." -Psalm 22:25-27