Obedience in Worship…Let's be Silly!

The LORD directs the steps of the godly.

He delights in every detail of their lives.

Though they stumble, they will never fall,

for the LORD holds them by the hand.

-Psalm 37: 23-24-

Growing up in church I never wanted to be the person who was “noticeable” in the crowd. Often in worship and praise I would be concerned about my voice, and when I felt a nudging to raise my hands to the glory of God I would convince myself not to. I would second guess myself and was always afraid that people would look at me like I was a hypocrite and unworthy of “appearing” holy. I never wanted people to think I was doing it for show, often a thought that crosses many of our minds. I was so afraid about what people would think that I couldn’t truly enjoy worship.

Now, isn’t it amazing how so many people and circumstances seem to shape a person? How people, within their own heads, decide what they should and shouldn’t do based off of what someone else thinks about them. I mean, there are such things as social skills, but deciding on whether or not to wear the red or green shirt based on what Jimmy Sue would think is ridiculous. Sadly, most of us have probably done this before. By letting someone else’s opinion shape our decisions, we decide that our value comes from our appearance, speech, or the impression we leave on people. We are not taught to be ourselves, we are taught to be what someone else wants us to be. We don’t need other people to label us as an object if we have already done that to ourselves; a self fulfilling prophesy. This form of slavery is not part of God’s design for our lives.

Did you know He knit you together in your mother’s womb (Psalm 139: 13)?

That He has numbered every hair on your head (Matthew 10:30)?

That He would leave ALL 99 of His sheep to find you (Luke 15:4)?

He loves you. Not someone else’s version of you, but you. He DELIGHTS in EVERY detail.

All He wants is you, your whole heart and not the pieces you decide to share or reveal. He doesn’t want you to hide yourself from this world because He made you exactly the way you are, and for His purposes alone. How do you expect to fulfill His plan for your life if you are so focused on what other people think and don’t utilize the gifts He gave you? It is technically sinful not to love yourself or view yourself as loved because He made you perfect in his sight. You are His Bride, washed white as snow from the crimson stains of a fallen world. By not respecting yourself enough to be yourself, you are letting Him down and not fulfilling your function/role as part of the body.

We need to focus our obedience on loving and serving Him, not this world. And, as an overflow of doing this, we tend to serve the world with His love and strength. We kill two birds with one stone. This all has to do with worship because God will often use simple acts of obedience to get your attention. When He says get your butt up to the altar and praise me in front of the whole congregation no matter how uncomfortable it makes you, you should do it. Stop worrying about what other people think and focus on Him. Don’t second guess your motivations if you know they’re true. Stare Him straight in the eyes and give Him your undivided full attention, as if you have been reunited with a long lost love. Let Him be the only one in the room. You will see the love in His eyes and then you shall know true joy.

The only reason I write this stuff is because I have deeply struggled with these issues. I have lived my life for other things and people, without fully taking a firm grip to the hand of my Father. I have been running a zigzag race because I keep looking back at the people and things behind me, not keeping my eyes fixed on Him. But now, I am beginning to learn the greatness of focusing on Him, allowing Him to be my EVERYTHING. Because of this, I have noticed a change in my prayer life and inward joy. Zeal should be my new middle name. Overall, I am being exactly who He designed me to be. I am being me, and am finding complete, relentless satisfaction in little acts of obedience like raising my hands and praising Him at His lead.

Once you take the step, get your butt up to the altar, raise your hands and shout His name for all to hear, then you will know completeness. Let’s pull a David and bust out some “mighty” dance moves to consummate our joy and excitement for Him (2 Samuel 6:14). Now that is COMPLETE submission.

How will you ever know true love and freedom if you don't let yourself be different and SILLY for His namesake?