I was then reminded of David dancing before the Lord (2 Sam 6:14-23). There was an abandon with which he danced. He was in his underwear and danced out of sheer joy for the return of the Ark of God. It was spontaneous and exuberant and with utter disregard for anyone but God. As David returned to bless his own home, his wife Michal met him with hate in her heart and a scolding for his unbecoming display of affection toward the Lord. Because of her adverse reaction to her husband, she never bore children. Her womb was barren.
I'm not here to debate worship styles. There is a variety of equally God-pleasing ways that He's equipped us to worship. God's given us song, dance, poetry, art, preaching, shouting, whispering, and yes, even silent reverence as just a few of the numerous ways to worship Him. Our worship styles are as varied as our DNA and that's how God has fashioned us.
Let's take a look at Michal (pronounced mee-hahl). (2 Sam 6:16) The Bible says when she saw David dancing, she "despised him in her heart". In short, that girl was hatin'! In God's kingdom there is very little, if any, gray area. Either you're for God or you're against God. Either you're focused on God or you're not. At that moment, Michal was against God. She had hate in her heart and there is no room for love to dwell if hate is filling the spaces where God should rightly be. Before Michal said a word, she had already sinned against God.
It is very easy to read the last verse of 2 Samuel 6 and think God laid down the law and punished Michal by making her womb barren. It wasn't God who punished Michal but the hatred in Michal's heart that caused her to not bear children. Surprise! We can be self destructive! Oh my goodness! Really?!? Yes.
Worship* is what we were made to do. Music, and it's expression, were created for the sole purpose of glorifying God. The enemy would love nothing more than to silence your praises to God. He goes about it by planting seeds of fear and hate in our hearts; very similar to the seeds of hate that were planted in Michal's heart. Michal was so focused on David and his nakedness that she missed the party. She missed the fact that 30,000 people had gathered to rejoice over the Ark of God returning to Jerusalem! Instead, because her focus was pointed elsewhere than God, she missed out on what could've been an amazing worship experience.
How many of us have missed out on a phenomenal worship experience because we've been too focused on others? Have we been too concerned with what So and So is wearing or how This and That is praising or, in our estimation, not praising God? I can answer honestly by saying yes. Yes I have missed out. There have been times I've been so easily distracted by others that I've taken myself out of God's presence. I have too often, than I truly care to admit, removed my eyes from God.
See, God doesn't change. So when I don't sense God's presence, it's not because He's left the building, it's because I have turned my back or walked out on Him by snickering at someone's unorthodox worship practice or been focused on that gnarly mole on the back of the neck of the lady in front of me. But it wasn't worth it! It wasn't worth missing out on GOD and an encounter with Him so I could focus on utterly worldly things!
There was an elderly man I once taught with. During weekly chapel services, I noticed he sang his heart out but was often off rhythm and off pitch. He wasn't tone deaf (only a very small percentage of people are, the others can be taught) but I knew there must be a story behind his uninhibited singing. We had a conversation once where I thanked him for singing. At this particular school (a private Christian institution), it was very difficult to encourage students to worship God through song. He shared that when he was a young boy, a nun at the school he attended, told him not to sing during mass, because in her estimation, he could not sing. He said he was so discouraged that for DECADES he didn't open his mouth to praise God. After marrying his bride, who encouraged him to make a joyful noise, he ceased being self-conscious of his ability and decided to give his best [singing voice] to God.
When you focus on yourself and your perceived lack of ability (or your preoccupation with the beauty of your ability) again, you remove your eyes from God and the result is the same. Your attention is diverted and God is not being given the praise and glory He deserves. If we don't worship, the rocks will cry out (Luke 19:37-40). See, worship isn't about you or me! God gets His glory whether it's from us or a group of snazzy looking boulders. We are the ones who suffer the void and feel the barrenness when our attention is elsewhere.
Psalm 100:1 says "make a joyful noise...", not necessarily a beautiful and attractive melody. We're all different and have different gifts from God. And God knows some of us aren't the best singers, but still, He wants us to act a hot undignified holy fool for His glory anyway (2 Sam 6:22)! God is less concerned with conceited melodies and more concerned with you giving Him your best. What sounds "noisy" to some could be the most melodious sounding offering to God's ears.
Cain and Abel (Genesis 4) shows us a great example of perceived attractive and unattractive offerings. At surface, both gave reasonably good offerings/sacrifices but Cain's offering was rejected by God. Abel's messy, bloody, fatty, animal sacrifice was favored by God over Cain's clean and sweet tasting "fruit of the ground". This story has little to do with the type of sacrifice and more with the condition of Abel's and Cain's hearts. Abel's sacrifice was accepted because the eyes of his heart were in the right place. Abel was fixed on God and gave God his best. Again, we see the perils of being preoccupied with worldly things. Cain was focused on how awesome he thought his sacrifice was and this deviation from keeping his attention on God, eventually caused Cain to murder his innocent brother.
Worship of any type has to do with the condition of one's heart. Are you remaining quiet during a music set Sunday morning out of rebellion, or self-consciousness, or because someone has discouraged you from singing? If so, I'd love to pray for you because that is not God's will or expectation for you. God want's to hear your praises. He wants you to give Him your best. If that's a beautiful melody, then so be it. If that's a joyful noise, then AMEN!
If you have found yourself distracted, take some time this week and and ask God to forgive you for taking your eyes off Him. I encourage you, through reading the Word and talking with God to refocus your attention. Take full advantage of your next Church gathering and worship God like David- with utter abandon. Only you and God know what that looks like. I encourage you not to judge others or yourself lest your worship be as rejected as Cain's offering or as barren as Michal's womb.
*for the sake of this blog, I am defining "worship" as worship through music. Worship can happen in a multitude of manners including music.
Sunday Brunch happens every Sunday as a spiritual encouragement for readers of the Fiery Wife blog. Come back next week and see what God is serving up for you to eat. "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good! (Ps. 34:8)".
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