"Worship means lifting our hands to a God who seems totally beyond us. Modern humanity has lost the call to worship because its a blow to our pride and sophistication to worship a God who is utter otherness. So instead of adoring God, much worship becomes an attempt to control or influence God." (R. Rohr "Radical Grace" p.113)
This morning is the busy day at church. Hopefully many people will come to be fed spiritually by word and sacrament. Hopefully they've also come to worship. To pray to God who is both transcendent and immanent at the same time. While the church that I lead is not one where hands go up in the air during worship, there are of course places where that is the norm. That is how they express their worship of God.
When I think of the worship that has fed me and brought me closer to God, there has always been a sense of irreverent reverence. I do appreciate worship done well. But that is not always mean highly choreographed, whether that be high church Anglican, or non-denominational ready for TV worship. Both have their pluses and minuses for me and do speak to the comfort level of others.
What I do understand is that worship is not about controlling God or influencing how God feels about me. I already believe God is pleased with and loves me. Worship then is about how I respond to that fact. I get a chuckle when I hear prayers that tell God, who God is and what God should do. Or when worship becomes so fussy or so more about being entertained that it forgets the primary purpose.
Ultimately we all need to find a way to worship. A way that opens us to experience God in our midst. That takes us beyond ourselves for a moment, and invites us to use all or our senses to comprehend and believe in a God, who keeps urging us on.
Blessings,
Ed
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