Take Root and Write

Consultation with the King

As is our expected routine, my daughter needed to nurse this afternoon. Usually, I am ready for her, but today I had a bunch of projects going. I had to interrupt myself, sit down, and tend to her. The whole house seemed to be waiting for me. The dishwasher, waiting to be opened so the dishes could dry. The computer waiting with some messages that were probably very important. The washer and dryer stood silent and were waiting for clothes to be taken out of them. And I waited, waited, impatiently, for my daughter to fall asleep. I prayed she would not skip her nap today, but she did.

 In Sunday School this past week something hit me. When I pray, I am in a consultation with the King. I am a queen over all the responsibilities he has given me, and he is the King over all of the kings and priests of his Kingdom, namely, the people of God.

This has not changed the way that I pray but it has changed my excitement level about doing it. I felt a surge go through me as I asked for wisdom in an area, knowing that the King was teaching me how to be a good queen. Step by step, he teaches me how to be responsible for my corner of the earth.

Idols, Icons, and the Real Thing

Come away my lover, and be like a gazelle or a young stag on the spice-laden mountains. (Song of Solomon 8:14 NIV)

Idols are everywhere! They even compete on TV once a week. We also see icons every day. Some even work for us on our computer screen! In this world of virtual reality, when the technology that is supposed to help us work faster actually creates more and more work, we are desperate for something real. God wants us to see him for who He is, not just for his actions but as a person with life to share.

As a musician I have fun following the competition on American Idol, but I'll never be one of the screaming, adoring fans. As we can see from the show, an idol is something or someone who is imperfect and subject to judgment. Idols are always created or exalted by man and are not holy as someone or something worthy of worship.

The Lord even mocked the idea of wooden idols like the ones established in Israel during Isaiah the Prophet's time, about 700-680 BC. Check out the passage in Isaiah 44:9-23 where he explains there is no difference between the idol carved from wood and the firewood made from the same wood.

         No one stops to think,
       no one has the knowledge or understanding to say,
       "Half of it I used for fuel;
       I even baked bread over its coals,
       I roasted meat and I ate.
      Shall I make a detestable thing from what is left?
      Shall I bow down to a block of wood?"

        He feeds on ashes, a deluded heart misleads him;
      he cannot save himself, or say,
      "Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?" 

                                                    Isaiah 55:19-20 NIV

What Does Worship Look Like When I'm Grieving?

Worship is for every season of life. Our Heavenly Father is worthy of worship and praise no matter how we feel. However worship can be difficult to demonstrate in a valley-- especially in the most dreaded of times, when we are grieving a major loss.

There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under heaven:

a time to be born and a time to die,
a time to plant and a time to uproot,

a time to kill and a time to heal,
a time to tear down and a time to build,

a time to weep and a time to laugh,
a time to mourn and a time to dance,

a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
a time to embrace and a time to refrain,

a time to search and a time to give up,
a time to keep and a time to throw away,

a time to tear and a time to mend,
a time to be silent and a time to speak,

a time to love and a time to hate,
a time for war and a time for peace.

-- Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 NIV

Though I'm not a counselor or psychologist -- just a woman in Christ along the way with you, I have some thoughts to share by way of Bible study and personal testimony.

When Worship Becomes Routine

It hardly seems possible that with all we do in our modern evangelical churches to make worship exciting, that it could become routine or mundane.  Maybe a better way to describe it is, we come in to church with so much noise in our minds that it takes a bigger noise to override it.  Maybe the desire to worship is strong but the thoughts and concerns we came in with are stronger.

Today let's talk about what happens when there is no emotion to our worship.  No overwhelming joy, no recent miraculous answer to prayer, no crisis of faith, no pressing needs, nothing to make us jump up and down, or fall to our knees.  We've arrived at church, waiting for the song or the message to pierce our hearts and nothing significant seems to happen.

This is when I take out my thankful attitude and dust it off, and put it on like a garment.  "God, I am so thankful for this time, this wonderful worship service where I can just stand here and adore you.  I am thankful that you hear me and see me.  That you know me and that I am cleansed from sin by your awesome sacrifice.  Wow, I'm thankful that I'm here and not somewhere else, that at this time in my life your hand is upon me, keeping me stable and allowing this routine of worship to continue without interruption."

¹⁵Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. ¹⁶Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. ¹⁷And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him. -Colossians 3:15-17

If the congregational worship song do not strike a chord with you, just take some time to pray on your own, quietly, if it seems appropriate.  Worship doesn't have to be all music.  This is part of the freedom we are supposed to have when the Holy Spirit is allowed to work.  Pray for yourself, or for someone else.  At the same time, try to keep current in what is actually going on in the service around you, one, so you don't distract others, and two, because you are an active participant in your community.

The Awakened Heart

“I sleep, but my heart is awake. . .” (Song of Solomon 5:2 NKJV).

You trudge out to the kitchen to get a cold glass of water when the moonlight catches your eye. Focusing, you witness a dazzling display of light and dark, cold and still. You press your nose against the window for a better look, but this is not enough, soon you slide through the door to the porch, then tiptoe onto the damp grass, so much colder than the surrounding air. You ignore the shock to your feet as you gaze upward to see every star in place, complimented by the full moon. Your heart is captured by your Creator as you breathe out, “Wow.”

It’s like a moment between lovers when nothing more needs to be said. You both know the song.

You trudge across the sidewalk, through the vestibule, and into the familiar newly carpeted, cedar-beamed-ceiling room. You glance up front as the drums kick in and hands begin to clap to a song you think you’ve heard once or twice before. You slide into a seat five rows from the back and place your things on the seat beside you. The infant two rows ahead raises a protest to the loud sounds and is comforted by her mother. Others are ushered to seats closer to the front. Words flash on a screen to the right of the stage where seven happy people are well on their way to glory land. By the time you are able to focus, they are already through the second verse of “How Great Thou Art.” The lyrics work their way into your mind, then your heart awakens as meaning sinks in. “And when I think that God, His Son not sparing/ sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in. . .” You remember the moonlight, the stars, your Lord, Master, Creator, and finally you enter His presence, once again face to face with Jesus.

Do Not Worship Me. . .

“. . .This will be a sign to you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2:12)[1]

Peter, however, got up and ran to the tomb. Bending over, he saw the strips of linen lying by themselves, and he went away, wondering to himself what had happened (Luke 24:12).

Our God is a storyteller. His entire communication and communion with us is through stories. The very fact that He created time is the reason for this, because we humans live in time. Our lives are a series of dramatic scenes, and story is the language of our hearts.[2]

There is a story we all know well, that of Jesus’ birth. We love to tell it and retell it, using plays, pageants, and all forms of art and music. It is one of the most tangible of God’s stories for us, and by far the most earth shattering, when its final effects are considered.

What is striking to me this year, is not the human part of the story, but the divine part.  The one where the Holy Spirit overshadows Mary, and Christ is conceived.  A moment like that is like lightning striking 47 times in one place, and being there to see it.  Out of all the people who have ever lived on earth, this only happened once, to Mary, a young woman from Nazareth in Galilee, in about 0 AD.  It is an event so earth shattering that most of the world orders its calendar around it!

During this season, let us keep in mind exactly Who we are worshiping. It is not a baby, or a birthday, or a heartwarming story, but the Incarnation of the Living God, the Word become flesh. We celebrate the Incarnation of Jesus and the entire scope of its effect on the course of history.

Anticipating Life!

Zechariah waited for his son to be born. He also waited for his voice to return. He had to wait. The hand of God was upon him, making him unable to speak. It was on Elizabeth during the term of her pregnancy. All this time Zechariah waited, anticipating the fulfillment of the promise spoken to him by the angel in the temple.

He had changed his mind since that day in the temple. “How can I be sure of this?‌” he  had asked. God’s hand remained and his physical voice continued to be absent. Now he believed, he knew, he heard the words clearly, and saw the evidence of the baby growing inside his dear wife. He lived bursting with excitement, yet unable to shout aloud and share it with those around him.
 
He was allowed only a writing tablet for communication during those long months from conception to the birth of God’s plan. I’m sure he chose his words carefully. No singing in the shower, no gossip at the market, no heated discussion about the big game that weekend. During the silence, he was compelled to listen to God, Who was the author and finisher of the entire situation (from Luke 1:5-25).

Revival, Fall!

Revival – 1: an act or instance of reviving : the state of being revived: as a: renewed attention to or interest in something b: a new presentation or publication of something old c (1): a period of renewed religious interest (2): an often highly emotional evangelistic meeting or series of meetings 2: restoration of force, validity, or effect (as to a contract) [1]

The term revival evokes different ideas in the minds of Christians from various backgrounds.  Some denominations hold “fall” and “spring” revivals, when a special speaker comes for a week of intense worship and study.  To others, revival seems elusive, as something we hope for, but leave the initiative and timing up to God, so as not to force or “fake” anything. 

Some revivals draw huge crowds from all over the world, and some stay within their original community.  I'm not sure whether anything I've experienced has been officially termed a revival, but I've had lots of exciting and intimate times with the Lord, both individually and in corporate settings, usually my own church or another local church.  I've been to a few big events and Christian conferences, but I'm not an avid seeker of these experiences.  My husband and I abhor mob scenes or even the possibility of being tied up in traffic or waiting hours in a line.

Community: The Glory Unveiled

The sweet baritone bellow of the pastor rang out, joined by a rousing piano accompaniment, the soprano stylings of 17 Haitian ladies, and the rest of us.  We blended in together: Black, White, Hispanic, and Asian as we would greet one another and sing. . .

I’m so glad I’m a part of the family of God
I’ve been washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood;
Joint heirs with Jesus as we travel this sod,
I’m a part of the family, the family of God!

Smiles and hugs were warm and heartfelt at the small Nazarene church where I attended during part of my college years. Located in Cambridge, MA, just north of Boston, with Harvard University just a mile away, we were a microcosm of the city. Babies, kids, high school and college students, young adults, middle aged adults and the elderly blended wonderfully. English as a Second Language classes were a major part of the curriculum, as we all did our best to communicate. One thing I always knew, beyond the heavy accents and broken English. . . I was loved.

. . . Behold, a throne stood in heaven, with One seated on the throne! And He Who sat there appeared like [the crystalline brightness of] jasper and [the fiery] sardius, and encircling the throne there was a halo that looked like [a rainbow of] emerald. . . The twenty-four elders fall prostrate before Him Who is sitting on the throne, and they worship Him Who lives forever and ever; and the throw down their crowns before the throne, crying out, “Worthy are You, our Lord and God, to receive the glory and the honor and dominion, for You created all things; by Your will they were [brought into being] and were created. (Revelation 4:2-3, 10-11, Amplified Bible)

And I saw the holy city, the New Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, all arrayed like a bride beautified and adorned for her husband. . . and the city has no need of the sun nor of the moon to give light to it, for the splendor and radiance (glory) of God illuminate it, and the Lamb is its lamp. (Revelation 21:2, 23 Amp.)

To Glorify God and Enjoy Him Forever, Part 2

We remember the question and answer from the Westminster Catechism, mentioned last month.  What is the chief end of man? To glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.

Now how on earth do we, God’s created beings, enjoy God, who is infinite, powerful, wise, and beautiful beyond our comprehension? It sounds like a daunting task.

It is clear through scripture that God enjoys us.  He rejoices over us with singing (Zephaniah 3:17). He created us for His own enjoyment (Genesis 1).  He has not acted as an aloof watchmaker, creating something mechanical that He could wind up and let run with little or no maintenance. God has been a gracious Creator.  He chooses to exist in relationship with us, more like a gardener, cultivating us through each season, and loving, guarding, and enjoying us. 

God was not bored or depressed before He made us.  On the contrary, He was and is whole and complete without us, as the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, existing in perfect relationship with one another as one God.  I believe God created us for the sheer pleasure of it.  He doesn’t need us, but He wants us.

To Glorify God and Enjoy Him Forever, Part 1

One major trusted source of spiritual guidance is The Westminster Catechism.  Its first question and answer deals with worship:  “What is the chief end of man?  To glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.”[1]  This concise declaration has always intrigued me.  If glorifying God and enjoying Him is to be considered our chief end, what we were created to do, then let’s understand and carry out this task to the best of our ability, and through this act of relationship, receive all God has to give. 

To glorify God means to magnify His character through our own.  Our very beings act as magnifying glasses to show what God is like, in other words, to display His attributes.  So as we glorify Him, our identities as women really do come into play.  Of course there are many ways to do this, but a major one is through worship.

Welcome Ladies!

Hello!  Welcome to Open House and to my new column, A Word About Worship! My desire is to transparently share about intimate and poignant times I've had with the Lord, and explore the biblical truth surrounding that time or experience.  I'm also excited about hearing the same from you in our discussion group!

God has been so good to me, in the 20 years since I met Him real, live, and in person when I was 17. 

Yes I was born again at age 17, and it was my future husband who witnessed to me!  Without him I do not know where I'd be, although I know Jesus would have gotten to me somehow. 

I've played the flute all my life and I thought it was fitting to give that gift to the Lord along with the rest of my life. As a teenager, I was not too set in my ways with my own plan for life yet.  Once I found out God had a plan for me, I was radically changed, full of joy and hope for the future.  God was no longer a stained glass window picture, sitting on a throne in the front of a church.  He really wanted to be involved in my life, and that was the biggest thrill for me!  My husband's story of healing from a childhood brain tumor also fueled the fire. 

So here I am today, ready to go to the Word, and ready to Worship!

Intro: A Word About Worship

Individual Worship. Corporate Worship. Worship in todays contemporary church.
We'll go beyond emotions, to the substance, history and biblical basis for popular trends.
Worship is not a routine, it's personal. Is there 'life' to your worship?
We will take a biblically based look at bringing 'Life' back into your worship, both personal and corporate.

By, Chris DeBaggis
Column Posted on Third Thursday every Month/ Also Group in CWTR Here.