Before the World Race, I thought music had to be present in order for me to worship. I was not worried about whether God would show up in my life but rather in church services. This month in Peru I am learning what it is like when I show up in His presence. This is a clear and biblical invitation to boldly step into His presence and engage in a relationship with Him. At 24 I am finally coming to the realization that His presence can be found inside and outside of the church building. The whole time I was the one clocking in and out of His presence. Even though God doesn’t need us, He wants us. It’s comforting to have a relationship with a God who wants us than serving a God who needs us.
This Christmas season Peru has taught me a valuable lesson. In the United States we are so caught up in the business of Black Friday sales, shopping, parties, and etc. We have grown more and more endarkend instead of enlightened. My Peruvian Christmas has taught me to settle down. To stop all the rattled rushing. To come and enjoy Him. To sink into fellowship with Him. The people of Peru walk so freely and passionately with the Lord even stricken with such poverty. Here all they have is God. He has shown up as a Deliver, Provider, Healer, and Savior to those with little to nothing. We need to begin to awaken the what, why, how, and who of worship. Yet when we miss the who we remain in our dead-end state of relationship with Him.
American culture creates “mistresses” that steal our hearts and rob us of a love for the Father. Imagine 16 inches of fresh falling snow on the field throughout a football game. We think fans will sit out that one game. How is it that we can jump up and down, do cartwheels, and scream at the top of our lungs for a bunch of guys running around chasing an odd-shaped ball? Yet we refuse to cheer even half as much for God. When Christ was on the cross everybody had a horrible lump in their throats like the game was over and the devil had shocked the havens. Jesus showed up all divine and stuff, alive again, just as the clock struck zero.
We make time for everything else. He’s the one who created time in the first place and made us from dust. It’s time we challenged ourselves to acknowledge our guilt, confess our rebellions, and return home. We spend our young lives yearning to be adults, but in the Kingdom, it’s the opposite. When we approach God with extravagance like a child we get a great big perspective of what it means to prioritize seeking His face over seeking His hands. I write this blog to provoke you in regards to whether we truly worship the God of the Bible or the one we’ve created in our minds. The Jesus we worship amounts to how we worship. I challenge you to find your secret place because that is where you will find life.
