Center of Worship

Do you argue in your church about worship? If it's not loud, fuss at each other arguments, is it snide, talk behind each others' backs comments?

Do you want to answer "No!"? Me, too, but it happens. Disagreements happen all the time, about everything. The ones about worship can be especially hurtful.

The lectionary reading I read this morning was from Job (42:1-6):

Job answered God: "I'm convinced: You can do anything and everything. Nothing and no one can upset your plans.You asked, 'Who is this muddying the water, ignorantly confusing the issue, second-guessing my purposes?'I admit it. I was the one. I babbled on about things far beyond me, made small talk about wonders way over my head.You told me, 'Listen, and let me do the talking. Let me ask the questions. You give the answers.'I admit I once lived by rumors of you; now I have it all firsthand—from my own eyes and ears! I'm sorry—forgive me. I'll never do that again, I promise! I'll never again live on crusts of hearsay, crumbs of rumor."

Do we babble on about worship? We argue about which music inspires us, what message the minister should deliver, whether we should clap or not, whether we should be so bold as to install screens to project images, and even where to place the flowers in the room. Why do we do that? Why do we babble on about things that are, apparently, far beyond us. Where is God in that?

I like the NIV translation of verse 5: My ears had heard of you but now my eyes have seen you. Why is it that we center worship on ourselves rather than on God?

I read today, after I started thinking about this topic, that one on of the biggest blunders we make is worship without sacrifice -- and that this blunder leads to violence (M. Ghandi -- whole quote here). Perhaps our sacrifice needs start with placing God at the center of our worship instead of ourselves. To do anything else is to miss the point -- it is to settle for crumbs of God, hearing rumors of God, rather than placing our eyes on God, where they belong -- where we can SEE him.

Empty hands held high
Such small sacrifice
If not joined with my life
I sing in vain tonight

May the words I say
And the things I do
Make my lifesong sing
Bring a smile to You

Lifesong by Casting Crowns

Images: That great tree on Washington Blvd, and some leaves on the ground, again.