So, I have tried to wrap my head around this concept for several years now. Unity within diversity, I believe that's what God is calling us to be. Unified. Not uniform (thanks Doug, I stole that one.) It all sounds like a beautiful place in my head then when I try to verbalize what this means it meets that dazed look of my conversational victim. Well, some get it, most do not. Most people believe that they believe in unity, the "why can't we all get along" theme. I find that people, for the most part, are pretty friendly and compromising, until it comes to worship.
Worshiping the one true God, the one that gave us eternal life and salvation in this life. The one who sent his son to.......die for our sins. Ours, not his or hers or mine or yours but ours, all of ours. Why do we get stuck on how we say thank you. Why do we care how other people raise their arms or lift their voice or bow their head or dance around or pray inaudibly or worship standing still? What is it about being in a place where other people worship differently that scares so many? For most, like me when I was young, it was that I was afraid that they would somehow suck me into that "free worship" thing and I would be worried about how that would look to, God? No. Mostly to others who would be watching. So it was never about worship it was about image. My image. My tainted image. They would know I wasn't sincere by watching me.
I have had this "I feel uncomfortable" talk with many people in my lifetime about being around others that worship differently than they. Of course, in my not so compassionate way I say, "Well it's not really about comfort, its about worshiping Christ in the way you do in a room with people who may worship differently and being ok with that. So it's really not about your comfort in the room. It's about your comfort in Christ." Oddly enough it's only been with those who don't and would never even raise a hand to the sky in reverence to the one who put us all here. I don't recall ever hearing from a more active worshiper that they felt uncomfortable around those people who were just standing still in church. Anyway, what is it that God wants from us? What does he tell us to do?
What is the "right" way to show our undying, unfailing, unconditional love for him for the blessings he bestows on us daily? Theologians have looked and studied and pondered and written many manuscripts on this subject. Whose right? Whose wrong? I believe the answer lies within each and every one of us. You don't even have to crack a book. You don't have to walk to the library or call your pastor or even ask your spiritual mentor. You see, the answer is within your heart. Yes, it's quite simple and easy. Look inside your heart for how it is best to worship God in this season of your life. It's about YOUR attitude at the time of worship, which btw should be a 24/7 process.
Attitude, people. I can guarantee you that it will be different now than it will be next year. We all grow, thank goodness, at different paces in our spiritual journey. How you thank God today will depend on how aware you are of your blessings. How you express your thanks to the one that gave you life, eternal life will depend on how thankful you are and how you say thanks. My mother was mortified when I didn't write thank you notes right away after a birthday party, or baby shower, or bridal shower or my wedding. I never understood the need to feed someone else's need for confirmation of a gift. Come on, you know what I mean. Those little southern ladies needed that thank you note as proof that you know that they bought you something and that you will always be indebted to them for that mixer. I just said, "Thank You" and thought that was good, but apparently I should've put it in writing. You're pretty much shunned from the next garden club meeting if you didn't write. I thought my way was much more personal. So who is right? Mom? Me? It's not about the mode of the note but the attitude behind it. I meant "Thank you" when I said it, I usually despised writing so much that my heart frankly wasn't in the card. In a sense I was fraudulent in my gratitude when putting pen to paper as opposed to verbal communication.
God just wants sincere, authentic worship from us. Believe me, if anyone knows when we're faking it or under diress it would be him. If you haven't given it all up to Christ in your worship life for him to hear that sincere thank you then you don't know what that authentic worship is for you and definitely not for anyone else. All you know is your heart. Only God can see in someone's heart. Only he knows its true.
Give him your best, he wants your firsts not your lasts. You need to learn how to love, live and worship authentically with everyone around you, because you are going to be in heaven with all of these people and we need the practice (thanks Doug for that one, I stole it!) There won't be subdivisions in heaven or clubs or things that divide us. You better start practicing, today.
Thank you God for an absolutely wonderful day of worship and remebrance. I can't wait to see what you do with it! You are an awesome God!
Worshiping the one true God, the one that gave us eternal life and salvation in this life. The one who sent his son to.......die for our sins. Ours, not his or hers or mine or yours but ours, all of ours. Why do we get stuck on how we say thank you. Why do we care how other people raise their arms or lift their voice or bow their head or dance around or pray inaudibly or worship standing still? What is it about being in a place where other people worship differently that scares so many? For most, like me when I was young, it was that I was afraid that they would somehow suck me into that "free worship" thing and I would be worried about how that would look to, God? No. Mostly to others who would be watching. So it was never about worship it was about image. My image. My tainted image. They would know I wasn't sincere by watching me.
I have had this "I feel uncomfortable" talk with many people in my lifetime about being around others that worship differently than they. Of course, in my not so compassionate way I say, "Well it's not really about comfort, its about worshiping Christ in the way you do in a room with people who may worship differently and being ok with that. So it's really not about your comfort in the room. It's about your comfort in Christ." Oddly enough it's only been with those who don't and would never even raise a hand to the sky in reverence to the one who put us all here. I don't recall ever hearing from a more active worshiper that they felt uncomfortable around those people who were just standing still in church. Anyway, what is it that God wants from us? What does he tell us to do?
What is the "right" way to show our undying, unfailing, unconditional love for him for the blessings he bestows on us daily? Theologians have looked and studied and pondered and written many manuscripts on this subject. Whose right? Whose wrong? I believe the answer lies within each and every one of us. You don't even have to crack a book. You don't have to walk to the library or call your pastor or even ask your spiritual mentor. You see, the answer is within your heart. Yes, it's quite simple and easy. Look inside your heart for how it is best to worship God in this season of your life. It's about YOUR attitude at the time of worship, which btw should be a 24/7 process.
Attitude, people. I can guarantee you that it will be different now than it will be next year. We all grow, thank goodness, at different paces in our spiritual journey. How you thank God today will depend on how aware you are of your blessings. How you express your thanks to the one that gave you life, eternal life will depend on how thankful you are and how you say thanks. My mother was mortified when I didn't write thank you notes right away after a birthday party, or baby shower, or bridal shower or my wedding. I never understood the need to feed someone else's need for confirmation of a gift. Come on, you know what I mean. Those little southern ladies needed that thank you note as proof that you know that they bought you something and that you will always be indebted to them for that mixer. I just said, "Thank You" and thought that was good, but apparently I should've put it in writing. You're pretty much shunned from the next garden club meeting if you didn't write. I thought my way was much more personal. So who is right? Mom? Me? It's not about the mode of the note but the attitude behind it. I meant "Thank you" when I said it, I usually despised writing so much that my heart frankly wasn't in the card. In a sense I was fraudulent in my gratitude when putting pen to paper as opposed to verbal communication.
God just wants sincere, authentic worship from us. Believe me, if anyone knows when we're faking it or under diress it would be him. If you haven't given it all up to Christ in your worship life for him to hear that sincere thank you then you don't know what that authentic worship is for you and definitely not for anyone else. All you know is your heart. Only God can see in someone's heart. Only he knows its true.
Give him your best, he wants your firsts not your lasts. You need to learn how to love, live and worship authentically with everyone around you, because you are going to be in heaven with all of these people and we need the practice (thanks Doug for that one, I stole it!) There won't be subdivisions in heaven or clubs or things that divide us. You better start practicing, today.
Thank you God for an absolutely wonderful day of worship and remebrance. I can't wait to see what you do with it! You are an awesome God!
6 comments:
Well, I really like your God speech and nothing wrong with your motivation. But, I find it twisted that you can actually believe in this myth/fable. You need to open your eyes to the deceit that is being fed to you. Really open your eyes and see the lies that this is built upon. Sure, I wish something like God existed, but it's absolute lies. The holocaust proved that god did not exit. My friend. You are born. You breath and then you die. Nothing more. Enjoy your life and be happy. But face reality. One reason people have a problem with death, is they don't see the truth. The bible is the biggest lie man has created.
Wow, thank God for opinions, right? ;)
Thank you for writing this post. What a beautiful concept. Unity, not uniformity. Beautiful.
And I am so with you on the "thank you" cards. I have never felt that I was as sincere in a card as I was actually saying thank you to that person. I never thought how that can relate to my relationship to God and how I express my thanks to Him.
Blessings,
Alicia
I wonder if it's divine intervention that 'anonymous' said.... "The holocaust proved that god did not EXIT" I'm sure the author meant 'exist'.
Our first mistake as human is to suggest that we think like God...we are just made in his image.
Trust me that it was not divine intervention. I just did not proof read my writing. But thanks for the observation. We can't think like god! He does not exist. Show me god. You can't do it. I repeat. Show me god.
But just for the heck of it lets say it was divine intervention. The holocaust happens and god does nothing. But he cares enough to alter my typing. That makes sense.
This myth of god has no real image. Its make believe.
Please send more money to the churches and continue the insanity.
Dietrich Bonhoeffer's Life Together on amazon for $10.88 good read for those who choose to be educated. I'm just sayin'..... I wonder what Mr. Bonhoeffer would say. Anyway, thanks to all of those who follow this Christian blog of mine, it brings me joy. Thank you God for passionate people! I will continue to pray for all.
"Show me God!"... HHMMM.... Well... How many non-believers demand this?! I would say quite a few and most of them only ask this while holding their eyes shut as hard as they possibly can for fear of seeing what those of us who "Have Seen Him" will show. I guess this question can be answered with showing that person the air that we breathe so that they can believe that there "IS" actually air. I guess we would do this by altering the atmosphere in a way that would make the air seem visible like having it cold so that we could see the smoke from our mouths, or having it humid so that we could see the mist, etc, etc. I say to this that you actually do not see the "Air" that you breathe in this example you only see the moisture or the smoke that is being carried by the air, not the actual "Air". Interesting thought huh.... But when and if you understand this you will actually understand that God can be seen by all of us much in the same way... By the things that he has created and not actually by seeing "Him".
So, Mr. or Mrs. Anonymous, I say that if you are actually asking sincerely that someone "Show You" God, then please feel free to join us at LNF in Mooresville NC to see "Him". "He" does not just exist here... he exists everywhere and for everyone, whether you believe or not... much like the air you have never seen a day in your life but continue to rely on each and every moment to live out this life that you say is all there is. Much like the air that does not force you to "prove that it exists" before you breathe it, God does not insist that you prove that He exists either... but just like the faith that you have that the air is going to be there for you to breathe in and out.... God just asks that you have Faith in Him as well so that He can open those tightly shut eyes while you are demanding loudly.... "SHOW ME GOD" and I will believe..... The most cool thing about it is.... He will show himself to all who believe... It is so cool!
God Bless and have a wonderful day... be careful though... Demanding to see something that you are not interested in seeing causes lives to change, eyes to open and hearts to soften.... And it is VERY CONTAGIOUS! Pretty soon people will be thinking that you are making it all up too! LOL....
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