Every once in a while I hear a lesson, sermon, or exhortation about how I should loosen up during worship. Evidently I don't lift up my hands or move around while singing because I'm either too focused on myself or I'm disinterested in praise. I believe that it would be very difficult for someone to gage correctly my level of worship based on my outward appearance.
Let's start where we all agree. The Father is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth. That's what our Lord told the lady at the well. Later, St. John recorded it for our own benefit. I think without detailing extensively all the reasons we believe it, it is sufficient to say that we who attempt to worship God must do so in a way that is not dependent on our surroundings. For instance, we are not required to travel to Jerusalem to get our praise on.
Let's also dispense with the overly technical and detailed definition of "worship". We know what we're talking about, just as the lady at the well knew what the Lord was talking about when He said "worship". I'll also use "praise" interchangeably just for variety.
So the question is, can I worship the Lord standing perfectly still?
Why not?
Sure, David danced. By all indications he cut loose, like Kevin Bacon. He also did it in his underwear. So if I'm going to dance like David danced, then I'm taking it down to my Fruit of the Looms.
Though David danced, there's no indication that Jesus ever did. In fact, David seems to be the exception. Who else does the Bible say danced? If you look it up you'll find various other groups of people danced, like when Miriam lead the women in singing and dancing, or when the "good" prodigal son came home he heard singing and dancing. But I don't remember Moses, Elijah, Abraham, or any of the disciples dancing.
There is another rather famous dancer in the Bible, however. This person comes to us via the New Testament, and her name is said to be Salome. She danced for Herod. Herod was so impressed that he told her to request whatever she wanted from him. The girl's mother told her to ask for the head of John the Baptist. Lovely story.
Do a little more searching and, yes, you'll find that we're told to praise the Lord with dancing in the Psalms. OK, fine, but the Psalmist didn't say which dance to do. Is it the Running Man, the Macarena? Should we break dance, or perform a ballet? I'm going to keep it simple. How about a little toe tap? That counts, doesn't it?
Please know, when the music is kicking and everyone is gettin' their groove on, if I'm standing still it's not because I don't like it or don't want to praise the Lord, it's just because I don't dance except in the privacy of my own home, wearing only undies, just like King David.
Let's start where we all agree. The Father is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth. That's what our Lord told the lady at the well. Later, St. John recorded it for our own benefit. I think without detailing extensively all the reasons we believe it, it is sufficient to say that we who attempt to worship God must do so in a way that is not dependent on our surroundings. For instance, we are not required to travel to Jerusalem to get our praise on.
Let's also dispense with the overly technical and detailed definition of "worship". We know what we're talking about, just as the lady at the well knew what the Lord was talking about when He said "worship". I'll also use "praise" interchangeably just for variety.
So the question is, can I worship the Lord standing perfectly still?
Why not?
Sure, David danced. By all indications he cut loose, like Kevin Bacon. He also did it in his underwear. So if I'm going to dance like David danced, then I'm taking it down to my Fruit of the Looms.
Though David danced, there's no indication that Jesus ever did. In fact, David seems to be the exception. Who else does the Bible say danced? If you look it up you'll find various other groups of people danced, like when Miriam lead the women in singing and dancing, or when the "good" prodigal son came home he heard singing and dancing. But I don't remember Moses, Elijah, Abraham, or any of the disciples dancing.
There is another rather famous dancer in the Bible, however. This person comes to us via the New Testament, and her name is said to be Salome. She danced for Herod. Herod was so impressed that he told her to request whatever she wanted from him. The girl's mother told her to ask for the head of John the Baptist. Lovely story.
Do a little more searching and, yes, you'll find that we're told to praise the Lord with dancing in the Psalms. OK, fine, but the Psalmist didn't say which dance to do. Is it the Running Man, the Macarena? Should we break dance, or perform a ballet? I'm going to keep it simple. How about a little toe tap? That counts, doesn't it?
Please know, when the music is kicking and everyone is gettin' their groove on, if I'm standing still it's not because I don't like it or don't want to praise the Lord, it's just because I don't dance except in the privacy of my own home, wearing only undies, just like King David.
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