It Is Not About Music….It Is About Rocks.

It is not about music.  In the last post, Abraham was the one that brought sacrifice to the worship scene. I always thought about music as the central theme in worship.  I now “use” music sometimes to get me to a worship state..  But that is not all worship is about. 

Joshua crossed the Jordan River from East to West.  After he crossed the Jordan River,…he and about a million or so people entered the Promised Land….and almost immediately had to fight all the big folks that were there on their land.  But Joshua brought something with him to that new place…the promised land.    Rocks.

He had those with him bring out of the riverbed….rocks.  From the bottom of the previously uncrossable barrier….a river…..Joshua and his nation stopped the water….crossed the river on dry ground….brought up rocks from the river and then….well,..  they fell on their face and worshipped God. 

They listened to God.  Crossed a barrier.  Got stuff up out of the barrier,…rocks,….built an altar and worshipped God. 

What are you bringing to church?  What barrier are you crossing?  You bringing with you something?  Just checking?  I often bring criticism of what is going on.  I often bring selfishness in what I want at church.  I even want the temperature to be just right or the music to be just so loud….I often bring problems I have and want someone to solve them……I often preach about them myself……  Seldom do I just lay down and worship God.  Seldom do I bring a rock…..something of worship to bring with me into church. 

louie

 

So…How Do You Worship?

Got to spend some extended time with my brother this last  week.  A couple of days….about 24 hours total.  He is a worship leader at a big church in our town.  We talked about worship. 

So, …how do you worship?  A couple of concepts from my brother.  Here is one.

We were talking and I have heard many teachings on worship…..most are by worship leaders…. and much of the teaching deals with how “they”  (worship leaders) think folks in a church should “act” when the music is playing.  From the quiet when you come in…..to the “you should raise your hands and jump up and down”  crowd.  So, me and Frank just talked.  I got a couple of points…here is one.

Abraham and his only son, he waited for 99 years for, (Isaac), went up this mountain to worship God.  Abraham did not go up to play music…not even mentioned….not to jump up and down and groove with a praise band….not talked about…..not to adjust the sound…not talked about…..not to get the most popular song of 88.3….never talked about……

Abraham and his only son went up a mountain….all alone….no music, …. no praise band…., no popular stuff……,  no…what the majority of folks want……..they (father and son) went up to sacrifice to God and just to worship…… the  Hebrew word means to “bow down….lay down,…..in front of God”  No music.  And Abraham…..was going to lay down his son….Isaac….to the lord. 

So,….. how do you worship?  Got some way you think is worship?  Check out this gig in Genesis 22 and look up the word Worship.  This might change the way you come to church and expect something from the praise team, the pastors, the Lord.  When was the last time you (or me for that matter)…just bowed down to God and listened to what he would have to say?  Worship.

louie