Lift Up and Lower Our Hands - by Sidney Mohede
Worship whatever.. what comes across most people’s minds are: fast, upbeat songs we call as songs of “praise” and slower ones we call as songs of “worship”.
SO many church member may think of worship as an entertainment, as something that entertains them or lift them up when they desire to meet GOd. “It’s a worship time”.
“Pastor, I love listening to praise or worship songs from JPCC worship” and so on. As if worship is just about songs, music, lyrics, instrument that we play.
However, throughout my ministry, I came to understand. That worship is more boarder , far deeper that just the music or the songs we sing at SUnday service.
Jesus said this in John 4:23
“But the time is coming—indeed it’s here now—when true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and in truth. The Father is looking for those who will worship him that way.” John 4:23 NLT https://www.bible.com/116/jhn.4.23.nlt
Neither the word of God nor Jesus says that the Father is looking for singers or music players for such praise and worship team, but what God is looking for is a worshiper. And notice, we “will worship in” what?
In the spirit - it means we are in a relationship.
In truth - it means we are to live daily in the truth of God’s Word.
So this is not only just about singing songs that we feel, “Wow, I really like it when I sing this worship song or that worship song.” True worship indeed is a life where we worship HIM through obedience, As I’ve said a few weeks ago in the sermon about obedience.
Some time ago I called out for (my daughter) Charis. We were at home and she was busy with her ipad, watching a video on YOutube and she was really into what she was watching. I kept calling out to here, “Charis, charis” and she did not answer. She ignored me. Finally I became quite upset and I went to her. “Hey, didn’t you hear that Daddy was calling you?” And Charis said, “Oh I heard you, Dad, but I was listening to something else.”
This is what I often find about us as Christians, children of God, this is what we think about as praise and worship. We often hear the songs, we often hear the praises but we do not realize that behind the song, behind what we consider a “worship”, God is speaking to us.
There’s something more behind what we listen to. Because listening and hearing are two different things.
“Hearing is listening to what is said. Listening is hearing what is not being said.”
It means we really get the points from what we paid attention to. In Indonesian language the words “hearing” and “listening: have the same translation “mendengar”. To be able to listen in our life of worship, (our focus) is not simply feeling good about a song but getting the message from God to each of us. As the worshipers He seeks.
So worship is no just about fast songs or slow songs. Worship is HONORING God with our lives.
I often quote from my fave verse Romans 12:1
“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.” Romans 12:1 NIV https://www.bible.com/111/rom.12.1.niv
To offer your body - it did not say to offer your song or your music, but to offer your bodies - as a living sacrifice. The Word of God says, that’s your worship. Our worship is not about enjoying a song that we like. Because honestly if worship is all about music, singing and songs, heaven will only be filled with people who are talented in music. That not the case. God wants each of us to be His worshipers.
How? By giving our lives as a holy, living sacrifice.
We who are alive, we who practice all the small obedience, the daily obedience, that is the true worship.
Worship is a communication.
It’s not just one way act from our side - singing, lifting up our hands and so on - but when we worship - listen to me carefully- God is speaking to each of us. There is a message , a purpose individually-tailored to each of us. God has a special message for each of our lives.
But, do we respond like Charis? “I heard you, but I was listening to something else.” Do we, in our lives, really listen, and pay attention to what God is saying to us?
Singing is indeed something that the Bible asks us to do. We are to come together to sing hymns and psalms. Yes, but songs, lyrics and music are only one part of a life of worship. Not what true worship is all about.
Then, what does God want us to hear, especially in these days, as true worshippers?
A few years ago I found a verse that changed my way of thinking about worship. Because before I was just like many other people. I thought that worship revolves around those fast and slow songs. This verse which made me realize that what God is really asking from us not just song and music.
“With what shall I come before the Lord and bow down before the exalted God? Shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves a year old? Will the Lord be pleased with thousands of rams, with ten thousand rivers of olive oil? Shall I offer my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? He has shown you, O mortal, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.” Micah 6:6-8 NIV https://www.bible.com/111/mic.6.6-8.niv
Prophet Micah was addressing all the Israelites - Why does God require when we come to a worship service? - Micah was asking a rhetorical question to all of us. What is the essence of worship, what does God really want our of our worship?
In the modern context, it may sound like this:
Does GOd require us to have a great production team at church, or to have the best praise and worship team in the city or in our church? Does God want the most expensive lighting and sound system?
Micah answered: No!
He has shown you what is good.
What does the Lord require of you is... To act justly.. and to love mercy.. and walk humbly with our God.
Three things God asked of us when we worship Him:
To act justly..
To love mercy - To pay attention to the people around us
To walk humbly with our God.
That’s obedience again.
SO what is worship?
When I learnt this so many years ago. I concluded that
Worship is not only lifting up our hands in praising God but also lowering our hands in loving others.
True worship is not just lifting up our hands in praising God-it’s also important and we have to do it- but we must also be willing to reach out our hands, to lower our hands. We have to look above, but we must also look below. See what we can do to love and help others around us.
Personal Notes:
Sidney Mohede’s life has influenced and raising up so many young generations to be worshippers - including me. He is the creative pastor of JPCC.
PriscillaRVRnotes is my notes collections of the people that I learn from. Since 2013, I intentionally take a note as details as I can. The goal is to learn (unconsciously) how to be a better writer and to re-read what I have learned. Now it’s the time to share with others.
