The Lifestyle of Worship

I've been reading this amazing book called An Altar in the World by Barbara Brown Taylor. One of my favorite people recommended it to me. Boy, does she know me or what?! I LOVE this book! The whole idea behind the book is that God is everywhere, not just in church, where so many of us go looking for Him. We tend to forget that every moment of our lives can be set aside for worship, not just an hour on Sunday morning. In the beginning, she talks about how, in the Old Testament, when someone had an encounter with God, they built an altar right there to commemorate the experience. It was a physical reminder of a deeply spiritual event. Even if all they could find was a pile of rocks, that was good enough. When did people stop doing that?

One thing I am beginning to understand as I read this book is that, because I am a human being living on earth,I must somehow make peace with my body in order to achieve total worship. You see, it's not just about my spirit reaching up to touch  God; it's about my body reaching up too. Romans 12:1 says it beautifully: "Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship." Did you catch that? Giving your body to God is your spiritual act of worship. Worship is not only about what we feel (although it can be deeply emotional). It's about what we DO with our bodies. It's not only about what we think or pray privately(although thought life and prayer life is extremely important). It's about what we choose to SAY with our mouths. Worship is not only standing with hands raised and singing to the Lord on Sunday morning. It's so much more than that. Worship is a lifestyle.

Worship is about stretching one's muscles in the morning to get that body ready to move. It's about speaking a kind word with one's mouth when one would much rather smack someone  instead. It's about cleaning up the kitchen so a tired wife doesn't have to. It's about walking carefully and intentionally through the park and paying attention to the smells, sounds, and presence of God all around. It's about saying no to the unhealthy options and yes to the healthy ones. It's about searching for God in the laundry room, the grocery store, and the doctor's office instead of just in church.

If you will set out this day to seek God wherever you find yourself, He will be there. I challenge you to think outside your God box. And when you find Him, build an altar there to remember. It could be a song, a Scripture scribbled on a sticky note on the mirror, a beautiful dance, or a batch of lovingly made cookies. It could even be a pile of rocks in the back yard. Whatever you can find, commemorate those holy moments with God that will change who you are forever. Build yourself an altar in the world.

Father, thank You that You are always within my reach. Teach me new ways today to worship You with my body. Help me today to see it as Your holy temple and not just a flawed, neglected house of flesh. Thank You for the mystery that is life!

In His exciting love,
Amy


copyright 2010, Amy Wallace