What You Cannot NOT Talk About" Part 2: Worship. That Goes Deeper

Earlier this month I led the music portion of our worship service.  The pastor told me what he was preaching on and I went to work.  


I like to spend time reading the scriptures he tells me he's going to use.  I inevitably wind up travelling all over the Bible, reading things that relate.  That and finding myself fascinated on a word or phrase that leads me to so many rabbit trails that I begin to wonder if I should start chewing hay and carrots!


This particular Sunday I was fascinated with the phrase, "fire on the altar," specifically God sending that fire on the Old Testament altars.  I had chosen "Not To Us," for the first song, simply because I had just introduced it to the congregation the week before and knew I needed to do it another week in order to solidify it in their heads.  As I was singing the song in my head, the second verse suddenly grew an arm from my laptop and slapped me on the head.  


"Send Your holy fire
"On this offering."


Whoa!  God?  Is that You speaking?


Then, I chose the second song blandly based on the fact that it was an upbeat song and I needed an upbeat song.  Then, my laptop grew an arm and I got slapped upside the head again.


"Hear the joyful sound
"Of our offering
"As Your saints bow down
"As Your people sing."


Let me show you why I felt slapped on the head.


1 Chronicles 21:21-26  


And as David came to Ornan, Ornan looked and saw David, and went out of the threshingfloor, and bowed himself to David with his face to the ground. Then David said to Ornan, Grant me the place of this threshingfloor, that I may build an altar therein unto the LORD: thou shalt grant it me for the full price: that the plague may be stayed from the people.  


Ok, in modern English.  David needs a nice, flat place to build an altar.  He talks to Ornan, who happens to have a nice, flat place to build an altar, and offers to buy it.  Ornan says something like, "DUDE!  You're like, the KING of Israel.  You can have it!" to which David replies, "Look, man.  This is for God.  I'm not going to 'sacrifice' if it's not much of a sacrifice, you know?  I'm not going to even make an offer for less than what it's worth.  I'm going to pay you FULL PRICE!"  


And Ornan said unto David, Take it to thee, and let my lord the king do that which is good in his eyes: lo, I give thee the oxen also for burnt offerings, and the threshing instruments for wood, and the wheat for the meat offering; I give it all. And king David said to Ornan, Nay; but I will verily buy it for the full price: 


So Ornan, who doesn't seem to be too comfortable with this, says, "Ok, fine.  Not gonna argue with the King!  Duh!  But I'll give you the oxen and all that other stuff you need for the sacrifice."  David's like, "No, seriously.  I'm buying that, too...for full price!"


I love this part:


...for I will not take that which is thine for the LORD, nor offer burnt offerings without cost. 


So David gave to Ornan for the place six hundred shekels of gold by weight. And David built there an altar unto the LORD, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings, and called upon the LORD; 


David pays for it, builds the alter, and puts the sacrifice on it.  This is where someone usually prays and then fires up the altar.  But you have to check this out... oh, man, the chills are coming already!


and he answered him from heaven by fire upon the altar of burnt offering.


GOD, yes GOD, sent fire FROM HEAVEN, I tell you.  FROM HEAVEN!!!


"Send Your holy fire
"On this offering
"Let our worship burn
"For the world to see."


I'm thinking that Ornan was no longer bowing before David, but before the King of all Kings.  Oh, it makes me want to bow myself right now.  Seriously.  


That's just one scripture.  The next one has me wanting to yell and bow at the same time!


Leviticus 9:22-24  And Aaron lifted up his hand toward the people, and blessed them, and came down from offering of the sin offering, and the burnt offering, and peace offerings.


And Moses and Aaron went into the tabernacle of the congregation, and came out, and blessed the people: 


and the glory of the LORD appeared unto all the people. And there came a fire out from before the LORD, and consumed upon the altar the burnt offering and the fat: which when all the people saw, they shouted, and fell on their faces.


Did you catch that?  Once again, GOD, yes GOD sent the fire!  And what did the people do when they saw it?  They went ALL CAPS and fell "Facedown" in worship!  I...I...I'm speechless!  I'm with them, right there with them, wishing there was no one else in this room right now so that I could lay on this floor I'm sitting on with my face smelling the dirty carpet and wetting it with my tears.  And yet, I just feel like jumping and throwing my hands in the air and yelling, "LORD, YOU ARE HOLY!"


So I finish up my song set, type in some lyrics, turn on my iPod, and begin practicing the songs.  I'm totally raising my hands while singing, "Send Your holy fire on this offering," and tears are making my voice crack.  


I get through that song and then begin the next one.  You know, the one I chose simply because it was upbeat.  I'm getting into it, clapping my hands when I get to this part...


"Hear the joyful sound
"Of our offering
"As Your saints bow down
"As Your people sing."


Ok, I'm done.  Undone is more like it.  There's no way I can keep singing this song...


...and I've just had a better worship service than I've had in a very, very long time.


Not everyday is like this and certainly not every time I put a worship service together.  I find myself "Going Through the Motions," way too many times because I'm tired, feel like what I do is pointless, get in a hurry, and pretty much just try to give God what I get for free.  But when I seek God, He is always to be found and when God allows me the opportunity to worship Him through His Word, combined with Music, I...I...I have no words.  


Worship.  It goes deep.