http://youtu.be/g5hN_m55uoM - Here I am to Worship
Light of the world,
You stepped down into darkness.
Opened my eyes, let me see.
Beauty that made this heart adore you
Hope of a life spent with you
And here I am to worship,
here I am to bow down,
here I am to say that you're my God
You're altogether lovely,
altogether worthy,
altogether wonderful to me.
King of all days,
oh, so highly exalted.
Glorious in heaven above.
Humbly you came
to the earth you created
All for love's sake became poor.
And here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that you're my God
You're altogether lovely.
altogether worthy,
altogether wonderful to me.
I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
And I'll never know how much it cost
To see my sin upon that cross
No, I'll never know how much it cost
Here I am to worship
Here I am to bow down
Here I am to say that you're my God
You're altogether lovely
Altogether worthy
Altogether wonderful to me
Disclaimer: I truly understand that there are emergencies where one would have to get up and leave a service. I’ve had to myself. I also have the greatest respect for all parents who brings their children to service, even though they know it’s going to be a challenge to get them to sit still for an hour. So my observations are not for those situations. And by the way, I'm chief sinner on this one. I can't cast any stones. I want to do better and I'm committed to being more intentional in worship. He is Worthy!
Isaiah 6:1-5
It was in the year King Uzziah died that I saw the Lord. He was sitting on a lofty throne, and the train of His robe filled the Temple. Attending Him were mighty seraphim, each having six wings. With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. 3 They were calling out to each other,
“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of Heaven’s Armies!
The whole earth is filled with His glory!”
4Their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, and the entire building was filled with smoke.
5Then I said, “It’s all over! I am doomed, for I am a sinful man. I have filthy lips, and I live among a people with filthy lips. Yet I have seen the King, the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.”
God is not Holy.
God is not Holy, Holy.
GOD is HOLY, HOLY, HOLY.
What does that mean? I’m no Hebrew or Greek scholar but I’ve been taught by some pretty intelligent students of the bible and they tell me that in the Hebrew language, there is no word(s) to express the superlative. In English, we have “holy”, “more holy” and “most holy”. But in Hebrew, in order to express the superlative, the word “holy” is repeated three times. That’s why when we read about God being Holy, Holy, Holy. It means God is the most holy. As an "uneducated layman" I think it may also refer to the holiness of the Trinity; God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit.
As I read the above passage from Isaiah, it concerns me that I don’t always recognize God’s Holiness. I don’t show Him the respect that Isaiah showed. I don’t bow down before Him every time I come into His Presence, I am not always humbled by how unworthy I would be to come before Him without my Savior’s blood covering me. Why? He is so worthy of all my praise and worship, yet I hardly acknowledge His Presence.
I do have times when I just fall on my face in absolute awe of my God! In those special times. I realize how incredibly awesome He is. I want that moment to last forever. But it doesn’t take long before I get caught up in “me” and my wants and needs, and I forget that everything I am, everything I have, everything! comes from Almighty God, my Heavenly Father.
Don’t you love watching those videos of all the stars and planets in space, the sun and moon, and the earth as seen from way out there in heavenly places? When I watch those videos, I become very aware of my insignificance, my smallness. I am humbled. At the same time, I become very aware of the greatest of Creator God who hung the stars in the sky and calls each one by name. The One who created every galaxy, every planet and He paid very special attention to a tiny little blue planet He called earth, designing it just right so that it would accommodate His very special creation and possession, man, whom HE created in His likeness. How awesome is that?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t7F-B2DLvAQ&feature=youtu.be - God of Wonders
Now, knowing all that about my GOD, how in the world do I not reverence Him every waking moment? How can I use His Holy Name carelessly?
His very Name is Holy. The scribes considered His Name so holy that anytime they wrote it, they would change quills, rather than using the same quill that had been using to write all the other words. As they wrote the Holy Scriptures, whenever they came to the Name of God, Jehovah or Yahweh, the got up and washed their hands, they changed quills, and only then would they dare to write that most holy Name.
But we sling that Holy Name around so carelessly, without any regard or respect for our God. Unfortunately, it’s just another slang word for many of us. That’s just not right.
In an attempt to be more “people friendly”, many churches seem to have lost a sense of the reverence and fear that we see in the Bible. We come together to worship our Sovereign LORD. And HE has told us that whenever two or three come together in His Name, there He will be also. Will He be at your worship service today? Will you feel His Presence? Will you acknowledge His Presence?
If I’m truthful, I don’t like my own answers to those questions.
I wished that each one of us who sit in the “audience”, could take turns standing in the pulpit, before the gathered congregation, and see for just one service, what the preacher or pastor sees when he’s standing and looking out. Would every person have focused attention and minds plugged in anxious to hear God’s Word proclaimed? I’m afraid that doesn’t happen very often.
I think we’d see distractions on every side. People getting up and down, going in and out of the service, personal conversations going on, sometimes not even in a whisper, people sleeping… and oh, don’t forget people like me looking around watching for all those distractions so that I can sit in judgment. = ( That is not respectful to the minister, but worse than that, it’s not respectful to the Eternal, Self-Sufficient One, our Holy, Holy, Holy God.
//youtu.be/rGgX_oqdib4 - Revelation Song -
I love going to church. I love seeing people that I haven’t see all week and getting hugs. I love watching the babies there with their parents. It takes some time, but eventually those little babies grow up and learn how to sit quietly, singing and praying with their family. What a beautiful thing when families can worship together! I know God loves to see those babies and children feeling right at home in His House. I don’t mind one bit hearing them cooing or evening crying. They’re babies. That’s what babies do. = )
But I’m not a baby. I’m an adult who claims to love God with all my heart. Yet when I come together with my church family to “worship”, too many times I don’t even think about the fact that God is there, in our midst, waiting to be worshiped and praised! Am I the only one who struggles with this?
I’m confessing my sin, Lord, please forgive me!
What would it take for our churches to come together with single minded devotion, giving all our attention to our Savior? What if we were so in awe of His glorious Presence that we couldn’t help but fall to our knees, to lift up our hands in praise, to fall on our faces in humility before our Holy Holy Holy God?
Unfortunately, many of us would find that uncomfortable. And yes, even our sincere demonstration of worshiping would become a “distraction” for others. I’m reminded of when David returned from defeating the Philistines. He was bringing back the Ark of the Covenant and he was so excited and joyful.
“And David danced before the Lord with all his might, wearing a priestly tunic. So David and all Israel brought up the Ark of the Lord with much shouting and blowing of the trumpets.” 2 Samuel 6:14-15
David was praising and worshiping God with all his heart, mind and body. But his wife, Michal, was disgusted by his actions. Verse 20 says “When David returned home to bless his family, Michal came out to meet him and said in disgust, ‘How glorious the king of Israel looked today! He exposed himself to the servant girls like any indecent person might do!’ David retorted to Michal, ‘I was dancing before the Lord, who chose me above your father and his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the Lord. So I am willing to act like a fool in order to show my joy in the Lord. Yes, I am willing to look even more foolish than this, but I will be held in honor by the girls of whom you have spoken.‘ So Michal, the daughter of Saul, remained childless throughout her life.”
David displayed a joy that was almost uncontainable. He loved God and worshiped Him with everything he had. Michal felt his outward display was not appropriate of the King. But David had no problem humbling himself and giving all credit and honor to His God.
Maybe, raising our hands in worship or getting down on our knees before our Holy God might be an appropriate way to show our thanksgiving and dependence on Him. At the very least, I don’t think we should judge a fellow believer who is moved to raise his hands in praise.
Holy Father, You are so worthy of all my adoration and praise. I want to lift You up this morning in pure unadulterated worship! Help me to stay focused on Your Holiness, goodness and love. Help me to visualize Jesus sitting in the place of honor on our pulpit. Help me, Father, to focus on praising and thanking Him for all He’s done for me. I am committing to give my full attention to the songs and the sermon, and not to watching everyone else around me. I know it won’t be easy to do. Old habits are hard to break. But Jesus deserves my respect and reverence. I want to see His glory at church today. I love You, Holy God, with all my heart, mind and soul. I want to worship You with all that's in me today. Please forgive me for all the times I fail to remember You've done for me through Your blessed Son. In His precious Name I pray. amen.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0xwzItqYmII&feature=youtu.be - I Can Only Imagine - MercyMe
http://youtu.be/9xPzTSpbYmk - You Are God Alone - Phillips Craig and Dean
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pf9uP6b7qns&feature=youtu.be - Holy is the Lord God Almighty - Chris Tomlin
http://youtu.be/ONPlqLTRBI0 - - Beautiful One - Jeremy Camp
