Worship?

 God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth.”  John 4:24....."Is it the voice of heaven or the traditions of men that determine how long we worship Him?" Francis Frangiapane....."Father, may we not fail to recognize the time of our visitation."

The western culture is a culture on the go....even on Sunday. The great majority who attend what we call "worship services," have a clear expectation of just what and how long those services should be. I'm not advocating for long services and even longer sermons, but I am wondering if our expectations, which have turned into our traditions, are hindering, even harming the presence and activity of the Holy Spirit in our gatherings?

If your fellowship meets on a Sunday morning, the general "rule," whether stated or not, is that everything needs to be ending by the noon hour. If you're part of a multiple service fellowship, then the ending time element is even more pronounced. Then you're focused on not only getting the people out in a timely manner, but getting the next group in. Most fellowships can become very efficient at this. Timing is everything. I get it. I've been a part of it, and am still a part of it. This is not a blanket condemnation, just a plea for consideration. How, and where may we be missing Him in all of it? Where are we not recognizing, and missing, our own "time of His visitation?"

I know of a gifted worship leader who really "leads worship." They have a number of times taken a break in the song list to share something from His heart with the congregation. They confided in me that they've often felt a spirit of suppression in doing this. I think it comes in part from their feeling that this is not part of what people expect. The song service is for songs, words from Him are for the sermon time. That's the way it's always been done. Tradition. And then, you have the other end of the spectrum. What if the anointing is so heavy upon the singing and music that the Holy Spirit begins to move powerfully over the congregation? What will that do with the planned order of service? And who decides when there has been "enough?" What happens with "getting them in and getting them out" then?" What happens with people's expectations? Who is it really, that is Sovereign over what we call worship? And who and what is it that we really worship? Almighty God, or the way we "do church?"

Frangiapane said that "the goal of a visitation from God is that we become the habitation of God." The culture that has so heavily influenced us is in desperate need of a church that is the true habitation of God. A church where the fullness of His Holy Spirit reigns and ministers. A church that realizes that worship is not what we attend, but what we do and who we are. May we, you and I, go beyond the realm and practice of "doing church." May we be the church as He created us to be. May we earnestly seek both His visitation and habitation. May we live in expectation of both. May we miss neither.

Blessings,
Pastor O