This series on worship has come slowly and has been a challenge. God demands truthfulness and transparency, and it is impossible to write without His inspiration! I have had to search deep and be stretched to grow by the Spirit as we have examined my own personal worship together. It has changed my view of worship, and today’s devotion has given me a new understanding of prayer and its role in worship.
All of us walking by faith in Christ at one time or another struggle with prayer at one time or another. We struggle with the stillness that true prayer calls for. We are challenged by the faith it requires to ask for God’s intervention in our circumstances, and we are ever plagued by doubt that He will indeed intervene. We reject opportunities for God to reveal Himself and speak because our view of prayer is saturated with self-indulgence. But these days, I have realized more than ever that I often miss out on the most intimate, powerful, and highest form of worship… Prayer. While music offers a community corporate stirring, a wonderful and rewarding experience, and a gift from our Lord, prayer takes us to a secret place of intimacy where personal worship can transform the earthly battle of the day into the Spirit and victory of the eternal. It changes my perspective of who I am and who God is.
It makes me think of when my husband and I attend a wedding. We celebrate with the happy couple, hug all the family and friends, and give thanks for the blessings of a new family. Then there is that quiet moment where we look into each other’s eyes, hold hands, and, without a word, exchange sacred understanding of being together for over 43 years. In that experience, we remember all the trials, triumphs, losses, gains, and the Lord’s faithfulness, even in our failures. We are reminded of the blessing of knowing and being known by another intimately, and we are reminded that we have dreams and hopes for a future regardless of the length of time God grants us.
This moment for single people can liken this experience to close friends or family. This is how I relate to worship rising out of prayer. Quietly before the Lord, He and I are in communion about the relationship. He established through salvation and the journey He has been on with me, and remember all the grace and goodness He has lavished on me. I reflected on God’s comfort and strength in the place of sorrow when my heart and soul were breaking, and only He knows. I rest in the trust that He is the keeper of all my secrets and come to anticipate the bright plans He has for me. This transforms my prayer life from the negotiation table to the altar of surrender. Out of surrender to His incredible power and wonder comes the most intimate worship I experience. This happens because I know Him and am known by Him. The words of the hymn come, “Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee, How great thou art!!”
This time of worship is where Christ brings me in union with His loving presence, His will, and His Holiness. Jesus tells me this when He proclaims that those who worship must worship in Spirit and truth. It must be a time of transparency. When I humble myself before the Lord, I can see God for more of who He is. How can worship not come from such a time as this? My prayer life is then changed from lamentation to celebration when I lend myself fully to His presence and tell Him how I feel about Him. My attitude has changed to gratitude. My energy to serve Him is refueled.
This worship experience, in turn, will increase my hunger for His words, time with His people, and His music. Too often, I have tried to drum up worship experiences, attempting to use music, other people, etc, to attain an uplifting experience. In reality, prayer is a priority and the foundation of all other worship. That is often why some worship services lack depth and have minimal renewal opportunities. We, including worship leaders, depend on all the entertaining bells and whistles when the secret place where we DWELL with the most high has been abandoned or neglected. Corporate worship is impossible without a personal investment of time and stillness with the Lord. Celebration is different from worship. Celebration centers on “I” or me. Worship declares it is you, Lord, and you alone!
Oh Lord, I struggle so much with the me part that I miss out on the you part. Help me prioritize, treasure, and anticipate the time alone I have with you. Jesus, you are the lover of my soul. Forgive my half-hearted attempts to be intimate with you. Lead me to the secret place, the personal sanctuary of worship established by you and attended by prayer.
Return to the vineyard where the 5 o’clock worker examines how to worship in and through relationships with others.
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