“Different”

I really enjoy the services at my church.  It’s a pretty relaxed atmosphere. Very rarely are the men dressed in suits or women in dresses. Dress shirts with ties are few and far between too.  That’s just not my church.

The service starts anywhere from 10:01 am – 10:15 am depending. Depending on who’s leading or how the conversations in the hall are going. Start on time (10 am)? That’s just not my church.

The service is a blend of praise & worship music, fellowship time and a lesson/sermon.  Voices are raised. Shouts of “amen” and “hallelujah” fill the air. Arms/Hands are uplifted. There is laughter. There is crying. There is dancing. There is flag waving.  This is worship with excitement and anticipation!

YES! THAT’S MY CHURCH!

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You can feel God is there, in worship with us; inviting us INTO worship with him. It’s totally awesome. Oftentimes his presence is so strong there are times I don’t want to leave. I’ll sit in my chair and just “stay in his presence” until, well, basically until I’ve got my “fill”.  That time is so peaceful and so restful. I think I am slowly understanding what “resting in Him” is about…or so I think.

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Last Sunday was “different”.

I enjoy singing and I mean, I really enjoy singing. I’ll sing melody, harmony, or “do my own thing” when the music starts. You might say, I do what the spirit moves me to do. I’m totally “ok” with that as are the people sitting by me. I’ve been told that I should be part of the music team because others enjoy my voice. But ya know, I’ve been part of so many choirs in my lifetime that I kinda, you know, just wanna sing the way I wanna sing, without being responsible for a “part” or staying “within the lines”. It’s “freeing”. It’s how I choose to worship right now. It’s how I reveal myself to Him, and I guess how He reveals Himself to me. It’s just how our relationship works.

Anyway, this past Sunday I didn’t sing, I couldn’t sing. Oh, believe you me, I tried. I just couldn’t seem to find my “singing mojo”. I felt fine. My voice felt fine. Hmm…what’s “wrong”? Was I frustrated? Yes, because singing is how I worship! 

So, what did I do instead?

I stopped trying to sing!

I closed my eyes & opened my heart. I listened. I “felt” the music. It was wonderfully “different”! I was “awash in waves of music” – the multitude of voices, the rhythmic beating of the drums & the melodies flowed over and through me in a way I have never experienced.

I exited the service feeling “refreshed”, but “refreshed different”. I’m not even sure what that means – “refreshed different”.

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Anyway, does it really matter? Even though I had difficulty revealing myself to Him, He unwaveringly revealed Himself to me. Isn’t THAT was relationship is all about – just “being there for the other guy” whether or not he’s there for you?

Ya know what? God’s there for you every day of your life. He doesn’t ask for anything or want anything from you. He’s there – day in and day out – right beside you, fighting the good fight; whether or not you know He is there, He is there.

ALL. THE. TIME.

HE. IS. THERE.

How different!