The Day Worship Changed for Me - Early 1990

Early Spring, 1990.   The day worship changed for me.

Unfortunately, I didn't write an actual journal entry about this event at the time.  It happened before March 1990. I was 'busy.'  I was in Bible College and had an assignment to read I & II Samuel, I & II Kings, and I & II Chronicles.  I also had a friend who had given me a cassette tape of 'new' worship music to check out.  I thought 'why not kill two birds with one stone and do both at the same time?'  I did exactly that on my top bunk in my dorm room late at night, with no expectation of anything.

The worship music I was listening to turned out to be the first Maranatha Praise Band album.  It was quite a bit better than I was expecting.  Songs like 'Jesus, Mighty God' and 'Lord I Life Your Name on High' played as I read, and I was actually enjoying myself.  Things changed when I got to II Samuel 6:14 where David is bringing the Ark of the Lord into Jerusalem and dancing before the Lord 'with all his might.'  The song that was playing on the cassette when I read that was 'The Lord Reigns.'  At the end of the song the refrain repeats 'Bless the Name of the Lord' while the band continues to build and grow the intensity of the music.  I had this picture in my mind of David dancing before the Lord with all his might, kicking up dust, sweating like crazy, out of breath.

I paused and wondered, 'What would it be like to worship God like that?'

I stopped reading and re-wound the song in the cassette player (I didn't have the CD).  I listened to the song again and read that passage again and asked myself the question:  'What would it be like to worship God, to dance before Him, with all my might??'

Worship changed for me that day.  God opened my eyes to see a different perspective of what worship was.  Before that, it was songs that we sang in church before a sermon.  Some were fast, some were slow, and most of them talked about God.  After that evening of reading, I slowly began to realize that worship is so much more than that.  Its a connection between God and myself.  Its me recognizing who God is, and my place in His scheme of things.  Its wonder, exuberance - so much more than just singing about God.  Its getting my mind and my heart... and my strength involved.

I rarely get to that place of worship where David was.  I'm not really sure I've even been in that zone that David was in.  But I want to be one day.  I want my love and exuberance for God be stronger than my fear of what people will think.  And worship God with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength.