Here is an excerpt from a workshop that I did last year on worship. This was the first session and is a brief synopisis of what will later be given more detail. So be on the look out for more to come!
“Sing joyfully to the LORD, you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him….Sing to him a new song; play skillfully, and shout for joy.” (Psalm 33: 1 & 3)
Our bodies are an instrument of praise and worship to our God and king; therefore it is fitting for us to praise Him through song both joyfully AND skillfully.
Joyfully!
Joyful: exuberantly, cheerfully and with delight.
God wants us to praise Him with joy. Both singing and shouting with words and songs of exuberance and delight! No need to hold it back. He wants it all!
“Let them praise His name with dancing;” (Psalm 149:3)
I believe God wants us to praise Him with our whole bodies expression and that means movement as well.
So sing, dance, jump, shout, and raise your hands in praise. It is all fitting and worthy of our King.
And if you dance, dance with joy!
If you jump, jump exuberantly!
If you shout, shout cheerfully!
If you raise your hands; raise them high, for He is high and lifted up!
Skillfully!
Skillful: expertly, masterfully, and proficiently.
This is where vocal technique and knowledge come into play.
It is fitting for us to study our instruments of praise. If our body is our instrument than we must not only know how to “play” it well, but also how to treat it well.
“But an hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for such people the Father seeks to be His worshipers. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:23-24)
Spirit!
Spirit: in the Latin here is Spiritus, which also means breath, inhalation, and spirit.
If spirit is breath and inhalation than think about how much more we can be in touch with His spirit when we learn to breath deeper and stronger.
***Blog about Breath and Sprit to come
Truth!
Truth: Truth in the Latin here is Veritas, which simply means truth. Truth defined can also mean sincerity, honesty and certainty.
When we are worshiping God we must approach Him in full sincerity and honesty; full disclosure and for that matter full exposure.
If we have false beliefs about our bodies, voices, ourselves; it will inevitably affect our worship.
Here is the truth!
God gave you your body, your voice and your personality. He made YOU!
He already knows everything about you and loves every hair on your head!
He knows what you look like…and says you are beautifully and wonderfully made.
He knows what you sound like; and it is so pleasing to His ear!
He knows who you are; so come as you are.
***Some days we just don’t feel joyful. But when we show up to in front of God with our hearts in obedience to praise Him; His spirit plants the joy within our hearts. And even if it is just for a moment His peace that surpases all understanding enters our heart and mind and we find that we can praise Him in the midst of ourselves. REMEMBER: PRAISE IS A WEAPON!