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| This is me flagging in worship. Sequim,WA Aug.2012
About two years ago I started
flagging in worship of the Lord because the colorful flags make my worship
bigger, more colorful, and more expressive. I love to worship Him with all my
heart and soul and mind and strength and just pour myself out and lose myself
in His presence. Sometimes I dance, sometimes I sing or flag, or sometimes I just
sit and soak in His loving presence. As C.S. Lewis said, “It is in the process
of being worshipped that God communicates His presence to men.”
God wants us to be hot, not cold or
lukewarm. He tells us to delight in Him
and seek to know Him and to praise and worship Him and love Him and set our
minds on Him. As Graham Cooke says, "We
never exit worship. It is a melody that is either in the foreground or the
background of our hearts. When it comes to the fore, we must give ourselves to
it generously." I like the way Isaiah says it, “I set my face like a
flint.” (See Is. 50:7.)
More than worship by myself,
however, I enjoy worshiping Him in unity with other people that love Him too.
An assembly of people worshiping with all their hearts is totally awesome. God
inhabits the praises of His people! We are an “ark” of His presence, living
stones, a temple of His Holy Spirit. Our relationships with Him and each other
are of paramount importance, NOT our religious practices or Sunday services
where people are just going through the motions. It makes my heart ache and
feel such sadness when I think of Christians gathering and just watching, like
they are an audience, instead of entering into worship. Even worse is when people
chit chat or focus on their i-phones, instead of worshiping Him in the
assembly.
I asked my Pastor, John
Himmelberger, one time, “Should there be some teaching on how to enter into a
time of worship together?” He said something I will never forget, “Some things
are better caught than taught.” With that in mind, here is a little girl singing
to God with all her heart. Watch this YouTube! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoCnzAv0lzY
When I
watched it I started laughing and crying with joy and worshipping right along
with her! Hahaha!
I also said something to John about
how flaggers are worship leaders. He replied, “I like to call them worshiping
leaders.” Exactly! When we gather for a time of worship I try to just focus on
the Lord and worship my heart out and block out thoughts about what other
people are doing. A friend said to me one time, “Wow Jenna! I was watching you
for a while when you were worship dancing and you were just GONE.” Hahaha! Yep!
I worship with singing, flagging and dancing with “ekstatic worship” just like
King David. Watch me if you choose, but don’t talk to me because I’m busy
worshipping Jesus! You may think it is a performance for you, but it is not. My
worship is a performance for my beloved King! HE LOVES IT.
As
Graham Cooke said, "True
worship leaders are not choirmasters. They do not lead by singing [or playing
an instrument or dancing or flagging]. They are caught up in their own
movement. The Lord plays their heart like an instrument. In that place of
intimacy He uses their heart to attract, inspire, and compel people to
respond."
Dear Lord, make
me an instrument of worship in praise and adoration of You, my beloved King. Thank
You for giving me companions that love You first and foremost to worship You together
in the assembly. I want more of Your presence in my life and I live to delight
Your heart with my praises and my worship. No matter what, no matter when, no
matter where--I will worship You. Thank You for Your goodness, kindness, and
tender loving ways toward me. Tune my heart to Yours, O God, to enjoy the dance
of LIFE with You forevermore!
Lord,
Your praise shall continually be in my mouth. Psalm 34:1
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