Extravagance and Circumstance

Today's readings (1 Kings 8:63-9:9; and Acts 16:25-end) for morning prayer ask serious questions about our worship.

God responds to worship. He appears to Solomon, in person, after worship. He sends an earthquake to free Paul and Silas, after worship.

However, there are two characteristics, two principles of worship we see at work here.

1. Worship must be extravagant.

Solomon is a wonderful example of this spirit of worship. Funny really, David (his father) is seen as the worship-leader - after all he wrote the songs, played the lyre - but here we see Solomon leading the people with:
- Profuse Sacrifice - "the bronze altar before the LORD was too small to hold the burnt offerings" (1 Kings 8:64). Is your worship too large for the altar? Could anyone describe your worship as over-the-top? Excessive?
- Vast Assembly - this was a huge gathering - HUGE! Now...please don't think I'm advocating for large congregations only. However, there is something electrifying when lots of people come together to worship. We know that large crowds take on their own personality - sometimes an evil character (the Nurenberg Rallies? the summer 2011 riots?).
In a week's time 80-100,000 people will gather at Wembley Stadium for the National Day of Prayer and Worship. I'm sometimes quite sceptical about these sorts of events...but perhaps that says something about my approach to worship - I'd rather have my small personal offering rather than come together with thousands of others to pour my worship into one space?
- Significant Time - this act of worship took 14 days (v.65) - two weeks! Imagine an act of worship that takes the same time as the Olympics!! Do we schedule an hour and a half a week for God, for worship? Think about it: there are 168 hours a week, one and a half of those is less than 1% - LESS THAN ONE PERCENT!! Some of us spend more time on the loo.
[And don't go giving me that nonsense that "we're always worshipping!" - yes, I know...our lives are one long act of worship, but tell me... are the other hours of your week punctuated with the aroma of sacrifice - holy and pleasant (Romans 12:1f.)]

- Not Embarassed - Then we come to Paul and Silas, who worship to witness. As they worship others hear them - they aren't in the least bit embarassed to worship. I get squirmy if a non-Christian friend gets in my car while I have worship on. Eh? Why am I embarassed to show the world what I believe?

The picture that is built up is one where worship that moves God is worship that has a personal cost: it costs time, our reputation, it might inconvenience us (imagine the logistics of getting 100,000 people together)...but that's the point. Worship that costs us nothing does not move God. He is unimpressed and unmoved by worship that doesn't show him how much he's worth!

2. Worship defies circumstance.

Solomon "had achieved all he had desired to do" (1 Kings 9:1). He was in a place of blessing, a place of abundance. And he worshipped.

Paul and Silas had been attacked, put on trial, stripped, beaten, then severely flogged, thrown into prison, placed in stocks and under guard (Acts 16:20-24). And they worshipped.

You know this. I know this. But we try to ignore it.

God deserves our worship regardless of our circumstance.

Whether you are experiencing a time of closeness to God, of fulfillment and pleasure. Or whether you are experiencing the desert years, the dryness of spiritual disillusionment, the pain of loss, the struggle of ill-health. Whichever end of the spectrum you are on: worship!

How do we do this?

Develop a pattern in our daily lives where we try to more of the following: pray, sing songs of worship, consider ways we might offer something to God - our money, our abilities, our time, our home, our lives.
Develop an unembarassed lifestyle - don't switch that Christian CD off when your colleague walks into the office, or hide your Bible.
Develop a settled schedule - a habit - of worship that you complete regardless of the amount of sleep you've had, your health, the age of your children...whether or not you feel close to God.

I commend to you (and to me) this lifestyle of worship.

And it is my prayer that as we engage with this two things will happen in your life: firstly, that God will hear your prayers; and secondly, that your friends, family and colleagues will hear your prayers; and that both will respond!