I like a very specific type of praise and worship; a type I will probably not get to experience on the Race. I have a fondness for Bethel Music and the type of songs that start soft and sweet and build into a powerful crescendo that moves my spirit. I love feeling God’s presence through these praise songs. Its my preferred way to spend meaningful time with Him.
However, I sometimes forget that God is everywhere and I don’t have to only feel His presence through my incredibly particular musical tastes. Time for the confessions.
1) I pick churches based on how good their praise band is. Yes, I’m willing to admit this. If the lead singer has the same voice as Brian Johnson, and can sing Strong in Us in the same key, then I’m completely at home.
2) I spend more time praying during the sermon then listening. Usually I’m praying that God moves the church to sing more songs after the sermon. It usually goes something along the lines of “Pretty please, dear God will you make them sing King of my Heart after he preaches? That’s my favorite. But any song will be fine. Or if we could sing No Longer Slaves even though we already sang it, but maybe the band wants to play it again.”
3) I am never ever ever more than 5 minutes early to work because if I’m going to be, I’ll drive around the block just to hear 2 (or 5) more songs on my playlist. Even though I’ve been listening to this playlist nonstop for over a month.
4) I easily survived the first 4 days of training camp because we had both morning and evening worship service. It got harder when they switched the schedule to worship just once every other day.
5) I get to church early so I can get a good seat. Which really means, getting a chair by the aisle for just in case I’m feeling extra singy and dancey and need more space to express what God is doing in me.
This time last week, I was driving home from Houston. I went there out of the blue because my Uncle was sick in Hospice and I wanted to see him one last time before he passed. In Houston, God showed me how He can show up everywhere. I spent some time with my Aunt and we went to church together. Although I was secretly hoping to go to a House of Prayer, my Aunt wanted to go to her church.
Her church was very traditional. Somehow magically (or through God’s grace) I didn’t at all feel out of place even though I was the youngest one there and the only one in jeans. I sang those hymns wholeheartedly and felt God’s presence just as strongly as I do in my church. I can even remember what the sermon was about. It was on gratitude.
God opened up my eyes to show me that I can feel His love in any church, in any situation, and really its all up to me to seek Him. I don’t have to listen to that playlist. I can celebrate Him through Christmas carols or traditional hymns. I can sing praise on my own with out a radio. I can appreciate K-Love’s music. I can praise Him in a foreign language that I don’t understand with music that sounds nothing like I’m used to.
I also know that He wants me to learn to be still. There’s nothing wrong with me wanting to be expressive, but I need to expand and practice some listening prayer and just quietly bask in His glory.
The End
