"You reveal and we respond, you have shown there's no one like You God"

King of Wonders, CompassionArt album

Claire Hamilton (of Rend Collective) launched her new Worship Re:Serve site last week (http://worshipreserve.blogspot.com) with a post that has got me thinking. Richard Foster's book Celebration of Discipline includes worship as one of the "disciplines" that shape us as Christians. The immediate thought I had was, that if worship is to be considered a discipline, that I'd like to ensure I'm doing it right!

Matt Redman often talks about striking the balance between revelation and response - how much do we ask for in worship, and in turn, how much do we give back to Him? I feel this is where the idea of "discipline" comes in. God is unchanging, He is the same yesterday, today and forever (Hebrews 13:8). Therefore the only thing that affects our actions and mood towards God is us. How easy do you find it to sing an out and out praise song like Chris Tomlin's "Forever" when you're feeling low, down, or helpless? It's probably easier to sing something more reflective like Tim Hughes' "Beauty of Your Peace", a less energetic and more pensive song - song that asks God for revelation in the stillness of His peace. Is there anything wrong with that?

Ecclesiastes 3 talks of there being a time for everything. Therefore, there are times when we're empty and need to hear God speak into situations, and times when we're so full of His spirit that we can't help but sing His praise. Most of us lie somewhere in between these points - and your feelings towards where you lie on this scale probably vary constantly, sometimes changing within a matter of minutes. And, if you want a crumb of comfort if you're struggling with this - relax, take a deep breath, and tell yourself that this is normal. God created worship, and He has a plan for worship - a plan to take you deep into His love and whisper revelation to You, in order that you may respond by giving all of the glory back to Him.

The one piece of advice I can give you is that "discipline" often translates into "frequency" and "quality". The more time you spend doing something, and the more effort and thought you give to it, the more natural it becomes. Practice getting into God's presence - either "soaking" with a CD on in the background, or actively singing out to Him.

James 4:8 - "Draw near to God, and He will draw near to you"

Bless you all, have a great day. I'd love to hear your thoughts on this!