Over the last several months I have been going back to my roots of being a worshipper.  I’ve never left it actually but I moved away from the deep worship that brought me to where I am today.  I love worshipping with or without music but for so many and myself included, a certain style or maybe even a particular singer invokes an attitude of worship.

There are several artist who, for me, bring me to a place where I’m surrendered and centered at the Cross.  I try to get past the particular style because it really isn’t the style that does it, it’s the words.  Many times music styles speak to our soul or emotions.  There are many who don’t think they’ve really been in church unless “their” song or songs have been sung.  While I believe there is a limited place for this, what makes the greatest impact is words that have been birthed from heaven and a heart that is ready to receive the Word of God.  I’ve said this so many times before, but worship isn’t about what I like.  It’s about surrendering myself to the One I love.

Having said all that, I have been making a determined press to go deeper with God.  Long before all of this quarantine happened, I purposefully planned to spend more time just listening to God.  I spend lots of time in prayer but as the answer the Mother Theresa gave when she was asked what she says when she prays, she implied that she mostly listens.  I wan’t to hear my Father’s voice more than I hear the world’s opinions.  Jesus even said that He only spoke what He heard the Father say.  A good friend and pastor admonished me many months ago to get back to that place of worship that ministered to me so much.

One of the artists that has ministered to me for many years is Andrew Peterson.  Through his Spirit-given insightful and creative lyrics, he tells the story of mankind and the redemption of Jesus.  If you haven’t heard his song about the Begats or his amazingly truthful story of the birth of Jesus in Labor of Love, I urge you to do so.  One song of his I’m listening to alot lately is Is He Worthy.  Here are the lyrics:

[Verse 1]
Do you feel the world is broken? (We do)
Do you feel the shadows deepen? (We do)
But do you know that all the dark won’t stop the light from getting through? (We do)
Do you wish that you could see it all made new? (We do)

[Verse 2]
Is all creation groaning? (It is)
Is a new creation coming? (It is)
Is the glory of the Lord to be the light within our midst? (It is)
Is it good that we remind ourselves of this? (It is)

[Chorus]
Is anyone worthy? Is anyone whole?
Is anyone able to break the seal and open the scroll?
The Lion of Judah who conquered the grave
He is David’s root and the Lamb who died to ransom the slave

[Refrain 1]
Is He worthy? Is He worthy?
Of all blessing and honor and glory
Is He worthy of this?
He is

[Verse 3]
Does the Father truly love us? (He does)
Does the Spirit move among us? (He does)
And does Jesus, our Messiah hold forever those He loves? (He does)
Does our God intend to dwell again with us? (He does)

Is He worthy?  HE IS!!  Friend, no matter what it looks like outside or what you are afraid of inside, He is worthy!  He is the Lion of Judah who conquered the grave and ransomed you and I.  Is He worthy of all praise….YES HE IS!

Please set aside time for just yourself to worship.  Get to a quiet place and let Him speak in the stillness.  Remember how good God has been to you.  Out of your worship will come an exhuberant praise.  Get beyond what you want to a place where He is.

I’ll end with this….John records his time around the throne in Revelation 5 by saying:

And I saw in the right hand of Him who sat on the throne a scroll written inside and on the back, sealed with seven seals. Then I saw a strong angel proclaiming with a loud voice, “Who is worthy to open the scroll and to loose its seals?” And no one in heaven or on the earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll, or to look at it.

 So I wept much, because no one was found worthy to open and read the scroll, or to look at it.  But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to loose its seven seals.”

And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth. Then He came and took the scroll out of the right hand of Him who sat on the throne.

Worthy Is the Lamb

 Now when He had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each having a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying:

“You are worthy to take the scroll,
And to open its seals;
For You were slain,
And have redeemed us to God by Your blood
Out of every tribe and tongue and people and nation,
And have made us kings and priests to our God;
And we shall reign on the earth.”

 

Then I looked, and I heard the voice of many angels around the throne, the living creatures, and the elders; and the number of them was ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, saying with a loud voice:

“Worthy is the Lamb who was slain
To receive power and riches and wisdom,
And strength and honor and glory and blessing!”

 

And every creature which is in heaven and on the earth and under the earth and such as are in the sea, and all that are in them, I heard saying:

“Blessing and honor and glory and power
Be to Him who sits on the throne,
And to the Lamb, forever and ever!”

 

 Then the four living creatures said, “Amen!” And the twenty-four elders fell down and worshiped Him who lives forever and ever.