Learning to Worship

In view of Gods mercy, offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God, this is your spiritual act of worship. — Romans 12:1

God has graciously allowed me to play on our church praise team for 6 years. I can’t tell you how much I’ve learned as a person, as a musician, but most of all…as a Christian. I remember when I first started I was scared to death. Those guys were just more experienced, I hadn’t played with a band in forever, and I just felt like I couldn’t hang with them.

After about a year, I had learned the tricks of the trade. I was comfortable on the platform. However, I had a problem…I wouldn’t do anything really flashy or anything that drew attention to me and what I was doing. I felt like it was wrong to do so. Somehow, I felt like I was taking glory away from God.

After about two years of that going on, God convicted me that I wasn’t giving Him my best. Not only in the area of playing the guitar, but in many other areas of my life as well. He asked me if I could play for Him, and Him only. About this time, I started learning how to worship at practice, when nobody else was even there. I would have moments during service where, even though there were hundreds of people out in the crowd, I forgot about them because my attention was on Jesus. I found that I could tap into His presence and give Him everything I had. I could offer my fingers and my heart to God as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to Him.

For the last few years, the praise and worship ride has been wonderful. It has been the best drug that has ever existed. You really can get high on the Most High. His presence is the most unbelievable feeling in the world. And to think it is simply a small taste of what we will experience in Heaven…WOW!

However, God, with the help of one of His best followers, posed a question to me. You see, while I am off getting high on the Most High before church starts on Sunday, my wife is getting our two children ready for church. She is feeding them, loading them up, bringing them in, getting them to their class, and finally coming in for the worship service. The question was: “Adam, can you experience His glory and presence in the task of being there to help your wife and kids on Sunday?” “Adam, can you offer your body as a living sacrifice in THAT task?”

In just a few weeks of trying this out, the answer is a resounding “yes!” I have taken on the role as “fill-in” guitarist for the new kid who definitely has it goin’ on. As for me, slinging my little man around by his feet and getting him dressed while watching my wife get my little chick dressed has been awesome. Perhaps best of all, I really love walking in the church doors with the two of their little hands in mine.

My little man had a habit of saying “I don’t want to” when we told him we were going to church. To hear him say it you need only to not pronounce the d in don’t and say it real redneck-like. You see, while I was off practicing music he didn’t see his dad being excited about going to church. Well, this past Sunday morning he asked his mom “where are we going?“ She said “church.“ He simply raised his fist and said “YES!!“ (which sounds more like “YETH!”) Oh yes…you can experience His glory and presence in the smallest of tasks.

As for me and my house…we will serve the Lord!

Later

Adam