When we worship God there is so much going on that is unseen. I am absolutely convinced that as we bring praise to God lives change, communities change, nations change, the world changes. JP and Band (inc. me) were doing worship in Lurgan last Sunday and I just knew in my heart that God was doing something very specific in me and also in others. I think I had almost forgotten the impact that worship can have on us when our desire is to see Him exalted. My heart had been softened and I was once again overwhelmed by how much I wanted to give my life as an offering to Him.
"When the people's praise Him THEN the land will yield it's harvest" (Psalm 67). When we praise him I think He ploughs the soul of our hearts to prepare it for planting, so making us ready to yield a harvest. For me this means that all the rubbish starts to come up to the surface and all the hardened parts that have formed over time get softened and refined. In my experience that has been both painful and very very exciting. This might seem a little self-indulgent but it is still all about Him i.e. we bring Him our praise/worship, he responds by drawing near to us and filling us with love for Him and the extension of His Kingdom which in turn will bring Him praise.
7 comments:
Yo Claire
Great to see you up blogging! I love it. I feel really pleased for you and am glad that you are experiencing God in worship.
It's been really great playing with you in the band - you are doing a great job. I feel full of confidence and hope for you and all that God is doing with you at the moment.
Love ye.
JP
Hey Claire!
Welcome to the Blogosphere!
I don't have much to add or anything to your article. I mean, I could try and think up something suitably intellectual and talk about acknowledging the awesome-ness and infinity of our God. But, I really just want to agree with you. I don't know about the change thing, in that I don't know what kind of person it's supposed to make you, or change you into. But I do get what you're saying about being softened.
I like being the man in the know. And I especially like it when I have an answer - and not just any answer, but a good answer, an answer which stimulates thought ... and makes me look good in the process (If only it happened more often!). So, when it comes to worship and and this whole thing of change, I'm reminded that it's ok for me to relax and not know everything. Even knowing that I don't know everything. You know what I'm saying? There is something in the utter simplicity of just coming before God that is just "in me" ... I can't explain it. I know it's cheesy to say it, but it's like just letting go or something. I suppose there's almost a sense of coming to the end of yourself and having nothing left, of weariness and yet at the same time relief and it being ok, not a thinkg of desperation.
What got me about your post was the glimpse of something which isn't about intellectualisms or theological models or experiences (in terms of being able to measure them). It was just in the wonder of God, I suppose. (I suppose a lot - especially considering I had very little to add!!)
Good stuff. Keep it coming.
Steve.
Claire,
it's great to hear your heart for worship - there's nothing closer to God's heart than a heart, that He has made, responding to Him in surrender... it's where we are most given to Him, and where we find ourselves most alive.
God bless you in the journey!
Kathryn
Hey babe!!
Lovely to hear you are well and still loving being involved in worship! So exciting to hear God when and how God is working!
Glad you've got your blogspot up and running...mine needs to be updated, but there's just been no time! Soon, soon!
Much love always xxx
Yo Hambette!
Its great to har your thoughts here - PLEASE let me encourage you to keep it going, it will be an interesting catologue of the journey. Im blessed to play in the Jay Pee Bawnd and Lurgs was significant for me too - also incredibly enjoyable I think something that im journeying recently is finding joy in things - easier said than done, i know, but when we reach a place where a certain level of abandonment occurs, e.g. when playing, reading, listening, thinking - then one can find a place where joy (in the real sense of the word) can occur.
Take 'er handy!
Hey Claire!
Whoo hoo! This is a great idea! I am always interested in finding out about how others love God. I think that if we listen to each other's stories we can learn a lot.
I am agree with your comments about worship=change. Sometimes situations change, sometimes it is my perception that changes, but always, worship brings change (visible or not).
Lately, worship for me has been about holding on to what I know about God and his character, even when circumstances may make me want to think differently. It is neat to be able to look at life and all that it brings and still say to God, "I trust you because I know you to be true and you have proved yourself to me so many times over that I am not worried."
Love you, Claire! Congratulations and I look forward to "visiting" with you more often. :)
In Him,
~Sarah
hey claire...
i posted a comment on my own blog...but thought id send you one too! I am doing my counselling at bangor tech at the moment and doing two modules in one year...this means i can do my diploma next year...most people are doing one per year, but i feel i want to keep going with it! you could look up the north down institute website or bifhe's or Queens do a course too. Course runs from September to start of june..nearly done!
Hope that helps, take care, Godbless
Dianne Crozier :)
if you need any other details, give me a shout..it's been a really good year..ive learnt a lot and really grown!
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