Passive Worship

So, here's a little food for thought this week:

Passive worshipers=Passive Christians

If you disagree, feel free to comment, but I think our level of engagement in worship directly equates to our level of engagement in life with Christ beyond the walls of our church (which makes worship really important in our walks).

The words for worship in the Bible all denote action, not passivity. We should be participating, not spectating. Our job isn't to simply sit and listen. Worship is about experiencing a living, active God. You don't do that by simply watching and listening. Church is not about your entertainment. You should be engaged with God. It's a time for us to actively serve God - to invest ourselves - to offer ourselves to Him.

(RANDOM THOUGHT: Perhaps we should think of worship services as practice for Heaven. I'm thinking that we should learn to actively worship now because we're going to be doing it for all of eternity.)

For those of you who are still confused, let me try to break it down a little more. Listening to a worship song on your iPod or Christian radio and letting it 'wash over you' is passive worship. There is nothing wrong with this scenario, but on Sunday morning, try to think of what you're doing as 'coming to worship', not 'going to church'. You aren't contributing anything by sitting and letting the music and message 'wash over you'. You are not the audience. God is. You aren't there to spectate. You are there to participate!

Going to church is easy; worship may not always be. When you actively worship, you become vulnerable - you expose yourself to God's almighty power and have no control over what happens. Moments spent actively in God's presence can bring peace, hope, revelation of sin, healing, and forgiveness. It isn't possible to spend time worshiping your Creator and leave unchanged. Time spent in God's presence will ALWAYS change you.

Did you 'go to church' today or did you 'come to worship'? I encourage you to become more active in your worship time. Enter the sanctuary with the intention of encountering God and being changed.

Niagara Falls

So. Much. Fun.

My mom and dad started out their family vacation in North Carolina with several of my aunts and uncles. They were on motorcycles. They did this last year only they rode out west. Some of them went back home after North Carolina. The rest headed to Niagara Falls where I met them.

I can't even begin to explain how breathtaking the falls are. It's amazing to stand there and see God's handiwork.  If you ever get the chance, you should totally go!

Here's my trip in pictures:

My Dad-in the US

My Dad - in Canada

My Mom

American Falls

American Falls

 

Maid of the Mist in front of Horseshoe Falls

Niagara Falls

My Mom and Dad - Love them!

Me by the rapids just above the falls

Rainbow Falls

Horseshoe Falls

No, we didn't stay for Nik Wallenda - they were expecting over 200,000 people. Not my idea of a fun time. However, we watched them string the lines for his act. A helicopter was used. Here area  few pictures of what we saw:

 

  

 

Que Sera, Sera

Have you ever been at a point in your life where you have every reason to freak out, but you are cool as a cucumber because you have simply resolved yourself to the fact that God is in control and you have sought His face until you don't know what else to say to Him - and you have finally reached a point where all you can say is whatever will be, will be...it is what it is....?

No, it doesn't really happen that often for me either, but that's where I am currently - perfectly peaceful...until my mind wanders. If I prayed 2 Cor. 10:5 once today, I have prayed it 50 times! "...take captive every thought and make it obedient to Christ." SO. ANNOYING.

So, I'm declaring things I already know, but need to remind myself of after a day of having to repeat that Scripture over and over and OVER again.  God is in control. His will WILL be done. He loves me. He cares about the desires of my heart. My job is to continue to be faithful and obedient in the here and now.

Freak out over.