2 Samuel 6:12-23
In the reading from 2 Samuel we see two contrasting positions that I think impact on how we worship God. We find David getting excited & passionate about God, his wife Michal the daughter of Saul watching & getting angry with her Husband. She tells him off in no uncertain terms because he danced in the streets with the servants in worship of God as the Ark of the Lord was brought into the city.
Now I recognise that dancing isn’t a common part of the worshipping life of most Methodists, but I do believe that if you will follow me together we will learn vital lessons about real passionate inspired worship.
The sad truth is that worship so often is a battleground where we fight and argue about style and music – certainly in most Churches I have been in and I hear it is true for some here too.
See if you recognise any of these statements:-
Are we modern or traditional?
Are we charismatic or ‘normal’?
Are we organ or band?
Are we old or new?
Are we formal or informal?
Are we happy & clappy or reserved?
Any sound familiar to you?
Yet I have to say, and I believe we have to learn as Church that these are all really irrelevant because the real question is do you watch or do you worship.
Michal watched – she was a spectator – she was preoccupied with being who she was and didn’t want to sully herself with being with the ordinary people or embarrass herself by getting carried away in worship. She is a watcher and like most watchers in worship she gets angry with the worshipper. Michel is angry because David is undignified (NIV translation).
Her huge mistake is in thinking that being in worship is about us when it’s all about God. She fails so dramatically to understand that worship is about letting go of all of this nonsense and being aware fully of God. Something we can do with loud charismatic worship, more traditional worship, Taizé or Iona. It’s not about style but what is going on in our hearts.
So she despises the worshipper in David
I think David must have been wounded by her attack on him. I have to tell you as an aside that worshippers can be wounded and hurt by the viciousness of people who are watchers. I have seen many standing on the sidelines casting stones at those worshipping causing people who are trying to offer God their best heartache, and making them feel so unwelcome and not part of the family. I have seen it and have to say felt it myself many times.
And therein lies a bigger problem for us. for if we can’t tolerate and love those who wish to express themselves in worship in different ways to us then the scriptures tell us we will have a problem loving God too.
We all need to realise then that we have to become less self aware in worship. David of course didn’t have this problem of self awareness here – he was full of God awareness & able to forget himself in worship. Then right after Michal’s criticism David says some of the most wonderful words in response – he says ‘I will become even more undignified than this!’ (NIV)
There are two songs written by Matt Redman for a new generation of people in love with Jesus that have shaped my understanding and influenced me greatly in this area of worship. One is based on this passage we are studying called just ‘Undignified’ and another called ‘When the music fades’ which I want you to read a little later.
Undignified says:
I will dance I will sing to be mad for my king
nothing lord is hindering the passion in my soul
I will dance I will sing to be mad for my king
nothing lord is hindering the passion in my soul
(chorus)
and I’ll become even more undignified than this
some would say its foolishness but
I’ll become even more undignified than this
I wonder if that could be the kind of prayer we could say to our God. That nothing will ever hinder our passion. Not our self awareness or nervousness. Not even the music. When will we ever get to be undignified before our God like David?
So let’s see if as Church we can move beyond arguments about how much of our worship is contemporary or traditional. Instead let’s have a striving for real passionate inspired tolerant worship. I long to be part of a Church that is full to the brim with worshippers not spectators. Worshippers not those who criticise others. Together lets be those who strive to see good and the Spirit of God at work in others.
After all:
If Joe wants to hold up his hand in worship what is that to you?
If Jane wants to sing the occasional modern song why is that an offence to us?
If Rachel wants to be more formal in worship why should that alienate others?
After all it isn’t about Joe, Jane, Rachel or me or you. Our focus in worship is God and we should be so caught up in worship that we loose sight of ourselves and focus in on Him so much that we don’t worry about anyone else
Worship is about God and God alone.
May He have mercy on us if we forget. May we think clearly about these things before we judge others or walk out of services because we don’t like this or that. May our tongues remain still in our mouths even if everything wasn’t to our liking because . . . it wasn’t about us after all. Was it?
To conclude that wonderful inspired song by Matt Redman.
When the music fades all is stripped away and I simply come
Longing just to bring something that’s of worth that will bless Your heart
I bring you more than a song for a song in itself is not what you have required
You search much deeper within through the way things appear
you’re looking into my heart
I’m coming back to the heart of worship
and it’s all about you it’s all about you, Jesus
I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it
when it’s all about you
It’s all about you, Jesus
King of endless worth no one could express how much you deserve
Though I’m weak and poor all I have is yours every single breath
I’m coming back to the heart of worship
and it’s all about you it’s all about you, Jesus
I’m sorry Lord for the thing I’ve made it
when it’s all about you
It’s all about you, Jesus
I encourage you to read this scripture again, get hold of those two Matt Redman songs and let God shape your worship life so that your worship is undignified and passionate and real.
For Jesus sake. Amen
