Praise and Worship

Over the last few weeks I have considered the word 'Worship'. We all hear the word and most consider something to do with God. Whether it be devotions in the morning when we have our quiet time. Some think of being in church when a message is being preached. Some think of singing songs of praise to God, whether it be with a group or congregation, or all alone in the shower.
We had a Karate tournament yesterday...I never realized that could be a type of worship. Ballroom Dance class was on Thursday, that is a type of worship too. Then I realized something bigger. ANYTHING we do is a type of praise and worship to God. If we are doing it to the best of our ability to honor and glorify our Father we are worshipping Him. Thinking about it is kind of strange. I have to clean my room today and I could worship and praise God by just cleaning my room to the best of my ability, honoring Him in the process.
A few weeks ago my family and I went to a Red Hawks Baseball game. After the game a Contemporary Christian artist, Jeremy Camp, was having a concert. I really didn't want to go because there was a lot of things I knew I had to do to get ready for the rest of the week. Grudgingly, I went anyway. Though none of my family knew what was going on in my head, the Lord had really brought me under conviction during this concert.
As the songs were being sang I was still a little upset I was there because all I could think of was the things I had to do at home. Looking around, I saw people with upraised hands with their heads lifted towards the heavens in worship to God. Although, I am not one to really do all that in public I was surprised to see how many people were doing this. Watching I began to wonder, " How many people are doing this because they really mean it and how many people are doing it because the person next to them is too and they don't want to be left out?"
Scanning the crowd I found something most intriguing. One man that was standing at the end one of the rows was just standing there swaying, left, right, forward, and back. Watching him more closely, I realized he was mentally slow. Wanting to hear him better, I stood up facing more his direction and just listened. It was then I was brought to one of those times where God pulls a little at the heartstrings and expects you to take a minute and listen. This man who seemed to be near 50 stood there with a crooked ballcap on. A frayed fannypack, his pants crooked, and his shirt half-tucked and buttons not buttoned right. He was grunting. He was trying to sing the song but couldn't get the words out right. He just grunted off- key to the tune. Watching him I saw something amazing. He was praising and worshiping God the way he knew how... Swaying to the time of the music, grunting, and clapping his hands off-beat to the rhythm of the song.
Looking at the hundreds of people there I saw people who seemed to raise their hands on a regular basis. Almost as if they were going through the motions of what is 'to be done' at a concert of that kind. Of course, I am not saying that was the case for everybody but I am just noting on what I saw and took from the many people there. I don't know anyone's heart though...
This man though, the one who could hardly speak and would grunt instead with an off-key tune, was praising God. And ya know what? God was honored!
It was the final song of the concert. Jeremy Camp began singing, "Give Me Jesus". That man got really quiet. He quit grunting, quit swaying, quit everything. He stood there watching Jeremy Camp sing and tears began pouring from his eyes.
I had already felt horrible for not having a better attitude about going to the concert towards my mom...(I was really giving her a hard time about it) I also felt bad for not worshiping God more sincerely, Not just at the concert but also in my daily life. Then God told me something. Of course not out loud in some great voice, but in that still, quiet voice we don't always hear. He said, "You see that man? He is my child just like you are. You see those tears he is crying? Even in his tears he is crying in praise to Me."
Praise and worship can be anything! If we are doing it in honor to God he will be pleased. Sometimes it is the meager things that pleases God the most. The things we find to be unplausible God may see as the greatest praise and worship.
So whether it be by lifting our hands in praise, beating someone up in a sparing match, dancing the waltz, or grunting off-key to a melody if we are doing it for God it is a form of praise and worship to the Lord and King.


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