This is my first official blog! How exciting! I started doing them on myspace but myspace then kinda fizzled out and its all about Facebook! I sometimes don't think Facebook is the way forward for blogs but who knows I may import them onto it!
I love writing my thoughts its kinda like a diary but for general view. My previous blogs were God blogs and I think I am going to continue that because I get so passionate that I have to express it somehow and I think this is the way to channel that excitement! haha!
Firstly, I think it would be best to explain who I am! My name is Hollin (like Colin with a H!). I am 19 and I am at uni studying history. I am youth leader for my church at uni and loving it! I work with the best youth team and God is working hard there, which is amazing. I am originally from Romford, Essex but studying in Canterbury (HUGE culture shock!haha!). I have amazing family and friends! One random fact: I love lemon curd but don't buy as much as I should. I am a devout christian and love my God more than life itself. I want to praise his name and I want everything I do to be for his glory.
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Okkkk! Lets get going! I'll try not to rabbit on too much!
I thought what can I write my first blog on? I was listening to 'Here I am to Worship' by Tim Huges earlier on today and now again because I tried to listen to 'Shout to the Lord' but it was a really bad version so I couldn't. This particular song gets me so passionate to praise my God and live my life as a worship to him.
Worship is becoming a bit of a taboo word as people are unsure what it means and scared of using in case its taking in the wrong context etc etc...
The definition of Worship (thanks to Google!):
- a feeling of profound love and admiration
- giving reverent attention to God
- The paying of religious reverence, as in prayer, praise
In these definitions alone there are a so much we can take as what worship is. The biggest problem with people's confusion about worship is that it is just singing. Something we do at the beginning of church or when we attend something like Soul Survivor. This isn't what the bible teaches. We will go onto that later.
There is the praise which is something I will go onto later but then there is reverence element, which can be overlooked by some but the over used by others. God is something that we should be in awe of and with awe comes respect and with respect comes reverence. The act of stillness and of admiration is one that could bring as much glory to him than as if we screamed I LOVE JESUS at the top of a hill. Often God will speak through the quiet moments. 1 Peter 3:4 says this it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight'. He is talking about women in this passage but I do think it is relevant for everyone.
To me worship is our whole lives. From waking up in the morning to saying nightly prayers and everything in between. The conversations we have, the help with gives friends or family and the unseen kind acts we do. Of course, worship through song is still worship and is not a separate act from the others.
In terms of worship through song it is often referred to as praise because it is an obvious outward sign of worship. Praise means giving glory, gratification and thanks. I love worshipping God through this way because it can be a time that you completely lose yourself and completely submit yourself to God. The bible has a lot to say about this type of worship. The obvious example is the Pslam, a complete book of lyrics! There are so many acts of praise through the old testament and the new testament.
In Nehemiah, Ezra the scribe was asked bring the book of Law of Moses and this is what happened as he went to read it:
Ezra opened the book. All the people could see him because he was standing above them; and as he opened it, the people all stood up. 6 Ezra praised the LORD, the great God; and all the people lifted their hands and responded, "Amen! Amen!" Then they bowed down and worshiped the LORD with their faces to the ground. (Nehemiah 8:5)
This event in the bible is amazing because it was a time when they were realising their mistakes and Nehemiah having Ezra re-read the God's word just reaffirmed their love for God. So much so that they just wanted to repent and praise him. The two contrast of lifting their hands then falling facedown just proved how they wanted to present themselves physically to God. Its two acts of submission, reaching to God then becoming reverent by bowing. I think that it doesn't mean you're worshipping God better if you raise your hands or bow but I find it hard to justify true praise when there is no outward passion. I am not one to say ooo he is not worshipping because his hands are in his pocket or she isn't praising the Lord because her hands are not waving like banners. Jesus says in John 4 that the true worshippers worship in spirit and truth, so as long as our praise is like that it is glorifying to God. The people in Jerusalem at the time of Nehemiah were broken and God needed to break them by reading his word and in response it was an outlash of physical praise, something in which I believe most Christians will experience.
The pslams tell us worship the Lord, with joyful songs. (pslam 100:2) which is something that as a church body we need to do more of. I think some churches there is too much Joy and not enough reflection, but in others there isn't enough Joy. I think people worry to much about their outward appearence, what the music will sound like or what will I sound like. If we let go of our inhabitions then joyful song will flourish and become natural.
In the new church is Acts there are constant references to their act of worship of them falling facedown, bowing and praising God.
In Romans 12:1 Paul says Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship.
This is God saying by siging praising to me isn't enough, our bodies are our everything. By offering our bodies as a living sacrifice it means giving our everything. This is making our outward appearance and acts pleasing to God but also our inner thoughts as a worship. By daily laying our desires down to ensure that we follow him. Putting in all our energy and trust into to let him guide us. This isn't easy and we are pretty sure that we are going to screw up. However, God is constantly there by putting people in our path to ensure that this is possible. We just have to submit and God's plan will soon be made clear.
This is the ultimate test of worship, it is very easy to go to church or a Christian festivals and sing a nice little song, in order to get the warm fuzzy feeling inside. Acting what we are siging is hard there is no doubt but if we continue that in our everyday lives that is gloryifying God. Worship is never to benefit us but fos God's. Psalm 115:1 Not for us, Lord Not for us but for your glory because of your love and faithfullness. If our lives are a worship then it is all for his glory which is exactly what worship is.
For his glory and his glory alone because everything we have is because of him.
Thanks for reading!
xxxx
