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!

HOPE & GAMBLE

At a loose end this weekend? Feeling a bit listless?

You should check out: Hope and Gamble.

Starting tomorrow night, at Bradford Cathedral, and throughout the weekend there is going to be something special happening.

Sue Hope and Robin Gamble are presenting three evenings of what they are calling ‘Christianity with a Light Touch’. This is an opportunity for us to hear the good news of Jesus for ourselves and for our friends. An opportunity to hear afresh the challenge and comfort of the gospel.

The evenings are a mix of worship (brought by yours truly), performance (the legendary John Froud), interview, media, and talk.

This event was held in 2010 to much aclaim. See here for 2010's flier...

This year's theme is: More Than Gold

Each night starts at 7.30pm

Friday 18th May - The Race of Life

Birth, childhood, adulthood and growing older. It's all one big adventure, a journey, perhaps even a race against time.

Saturday 19th May - Not a Sprint, but a Marathon

Day after day, year after year, uphill and downhill, great times and difficult ones. And somehow, Jesus being alive and sharing the journey with us, offering healing, strength, inner peace and direction when we get lost.

Sunday 20th May -More Than Gold

Can we all win medals, or something even greater?
And if we can all be winners then why is Jesus the loser?
This is the time for the real you, the deep down you to draw close and receive something more than gold.

The event starts at 7.30pm each night...but (and I exaggerate not) you should come early to avoid bad seats!


About Robin and Sue:

Robin Gamble is Priest-in-charge of Idle and Bradford’s Diocesan Evangelist. Prior to that he was Canon Evangelist for Manchester Diocese. He is well known for leading St Augustine’s Church in Bradford from a congregation of 30, worshipping under a leaking roof to over 300 people worshipping in a completely renovated building, incorporating a cafe and public library. Robin was the originator of ‘The Gospel according to Queen’, ‘Bart Simpson meets Jesus’ and the Da Vinci code events.

Sue Hope is Priest-in-charge of Shipley, St. Paul’s and is also Adviser in Evangelism to the Bradford Diocese. Prior to that Sue was in parish ministry for nearly twenty years before becoming Sheffield Diocesan Missioner. She was a Canon of Sheffield Cathedral and is a member of the College of Evangelists and a Six Preacher of Cantebury Cathedral. Sue has vast experience both as a parish Priest and Rural Dean.

Response to THINK

Another interesting question from THINK: what helps you feel close to God?

I guess my immediate response is to suggest that 'feeling' close to God is a misleading pursuit. We are not about feelings, for this implies that happiness is a core element of our faith. The truth should be that our secure and certain standing in Christ, based on his cross, and the promise of eternal life leads to a life of hope and peace, part of the fruit of the spirit. We are marked as deep people able to face the unpleasantness of life.

However, the certainty of life eternal, and the truth of God's love for me does, I think, require an emotional response. Every day I get consumed with the desire to ensure people like me. It deeply affects my ability to make decisions, some which need to be tough. I am so worried about what people think I often pretend to be someone I'm not. So as I reflect on closeness to God, I wonder whether I would feel closer if I spent more time reflecting on the truth of the gospel, particularly reflecting on God's feelings toward me, how he sees me.

I suppose too that closeness is about proximity. When do I draw close to God?

In worship, certainly, I am more aware of his presence. In part as I'm thinking about Him, which makes me remember his presence, which in truth hasn't left me at any point. Sometimes, I hear people disregarding worship as somehow self-serving. I understand the anxiety. Some churches pursue a style of worship which exalts the experience to such a degree as to lose sight of God, and it becomes about the feeling of worship, not the discipline of worshipping God himself. True worship engages with spirit and truth (John 4). It should be enabled by God (Spirit) and focused on God (truth), not our petty emotions.

Worship is vital, it plugs us into God and as such is about drawing close. And this is all the more important when our daily lives are so fractured and disconnected. Worship makes me 'see' God, much like Isaiah did in person (Isa 6). When we see God there is that inevitable sense of unworthiness - leading to the promise of forgiveness.

Closeness to God requires us to know Him and then know ourselves, which I then see as a command to serve others. This service is not about browny-points, but helping those around us also know Him and themselves.

I think I'm incredibly privileged in my role as Chaplain, for I can do precisely these two things. I can help articulate what the God I worship is like, who he is, but I also get to hold up a mirror to the organisation and individuals, and ask the question - who are you? What are you like? What words can we use to articulate what our nature is like? Where there is creativity and beauty, intellect and insight - where are these from? But also, where there is ugliness, racism, hatred and unloveliness - where are these from?

I pray that I spend more time seeking opportunities to remember God's permanent immanence, while also pointing to him more in my life.