Our family grew up in a kind of church that sings contemporary Christian songs during our time of “praise and worship”. But when I entered Bible College, I was “culture” shocked.
There were no drums and cymbals.
There were no bass and electric guitars.
We only had a book of songs called “hymns” and a grand piano.
I honestly felt it was “incomplete”. In my heart I said “what’s wrong with this kind of Christian culture? They seem to be missing a lot. Poor them!”
But as I went on that season of college training God has personally taught me what true worship is.
It goes beyond the genre of music.
It’s never about the loudness nor softness, never all about the emotional hype you feel nor the raising of hands or joyful jumping. And it’s not just about merely singing during the Sunday Services.
True worship is all about a surrendered, desperate and trusting heart that is made glad and satisfied by God’s love to us in Christ alone! The external results would not only affect us individually but I believe the people around us-cities, communities, nations!
So now, whether I’m with a kind of Christian culture that’s not my personal preference I could still truly worship. Be it too loud and radical nor too soft and conservative, it’s all about God’s “awesomeness” being magnified and his people living in that overflowing love! It just can’t be contained! It must be shared!
In a nutshell: When our hearts are truly, rightly in love with God,
whatever we do are acts of true worship.
It could be from going to remote places to share God’s love and kindness, helping out flood victims and sharing your material resources with other people to simply doing your day job with passion (if your are working), studying diligently (if you’re a student) or even just drinking a cup of coffee.
Again, it’s a matter of a heart that’s glad in God!
“So this is our worship. To go where You lead. To love without measure. To clothe and to feed. I love and adore you.
My heart is beating for you. I take up the cost to carry the lost.”
-The Parachute Band