Occasionally I share to you what worship means to me.
So often, I go to church and as the worhsip portion begins my spirit is lifted and I sing praises to God and let go of the aches and pains that fill my heart, mind, and body.
As hope and joy fill my soul, I look around at my fellow worshipers. I see faces: some cranky, some joyous, some sad, some angry, some withdrawn but they are all singing or listening. As I see their faces I think about them and what I know of their lives. For some people, I know a lot. For others, I know just snippet. But in that moment of praise and grace, I love them intensely. It is hard to explain but I think what I feel is God's love for them. I think He allows me to be a conduit for His love to share a bit of His perfect understanding that makes His fallen creation holy again.
It is simply a gift God gives when we want to be with Him and to be holy like He is holy. He is gracious and generous. When I stand in church worhsipping with a body of believers there is nothing I want more than to be in heaven with them. The idea of seeing them perfected and being perfected myself fills me with joy, hope, and anticipation. Can you imagine? We can't imagine the joy and what little bit my feeble mind imagines makes my heart almost break with the desire for that glorious day.
I am so glad that God made me and I am His.
I am linking to my friend Cheryl's post Join the Conversation about National Back to Church Sunday.
What an encouraging and uplifting post. I feel the same way especially while singing in church. hugs♥olive
ReplyDeleteBeautiful and excellent post, Melissa! Thanks so much for sharing. I personally love to worship and praise. My heart and soul become so full that it spills over and out through my voice. There is no better high than a Praise High! Happy Sunday! :o)
ReplyDeleteLarri at Seams Inspired
I must say, as much as I love my homechurch and wouldn't trade it, I do miss that large, corporate worship. What a beautiful post! Thanks for letting God use you this morning to help me turn my heart to worship. Lisa~
ReplyDeleteThat's beautiful, Melissa. Thank you for sharing what today/worship meant and means to you. I was doing a podcast with a author/friend yesterday and we were talking about "questions/doubts." Among other things, he said that there's a lot he doesn't know about heaven, etc. but what he does know is that someday "good will be redeemed." I love that and what you wrote about longing for heaven and seeing a bit of that in worship reminded me of that. Lovely.
ReplyDeleteIt's very cool that you feel God's love for the other people as you worship together and look at them. I pray I can have that, too.
ReplyDeleteI always feel like singing hymns in church is like saying a prayer. It is such a blessing to have music that allows our souls to commune with God.
ReplyDeleteThat is absolutely beautiful... thank you for sharing your thoughts... While I was in Haiti I saw sooo much of Jesus and His love in the peoples faces...It is amazing to see God's work... and how he moves through each of us! Your post put me in mind of my experience..... smile :)
ReplyDeleteGreat video! Through a year of difficulty and trials, God taught me how to sincerely worship Him. Those who do not worship in private times alone with Him, will not be free to worship corporately....thus the sad and withdrawn faces.
ReplyDelete