When I was 18, my family received mind blowing, devastating news that shook us to our core. It was during this setback that our family sought out a Christian counselor. I didn't realize it at the time, but this man was sent for a much greater purpose than a few counseling sessions. He was the guide that led us to a church that will forever impact my life.
At Metro Life Church, we did things a little differently. Case in point, service was not only on Sunday mornings, it was also offered on Saturday evening. Now that I live in the 'Bible Belt,' you'd think church on Saturday night was a sin--hardly anyone offers it!
Let me just paint the picture for you:
-church started at 5:00 on a Saturday evening
-you were out in 60-90 minutes
-then, dinner with friends or maybe even a movie (for all those singles out there)
-call it a night and then sleep in on Sunday morning, never getting out of your pajamas
It's perhaps the greatest thing since texting. Unfortunately, no one seems to agree with me here in Georgia.
I'll never forget one of the first services we attended at Metro Life-- it was me, my mom, and one of my brothers. Unbeknownst to me, my mom decided to seat us in the middle section of the second row. At the time, the sanctuary was not very big; if my body had been capable of doing a split, my foot would have touched the stage.
I'm not sure why she chose those seats, but all I know is that NOT ONE PERSON SAT IN THE FRONT ROW MIDDLE SECTION of that service. It's as if someone knew the snake handlers were going to be in service that day...I'm totally kidding for those of you who thought it! ;)
The minute Pastor Steve's wife, Pastor Mary, began to lead worship my entire idea of a worship service changed. Her voice was amazing and still is. I didn't quite know how to take it all in as I stood there with my arms crossed while many others had hands raised unashamedly. Little did I know, this Saturday evening church service was going to be a pivotal moment in my walk with God.
I'll never forget, Mary got off the stage, leaned over the first row of seats, uncrossed my arms and briefly told me that's not the posture in how we worship God. Some would have seen this as insulting and rude, but this moment changed me, and I most definitely believe it was all supposed to "play" out that way. It was in that moment that she enlightened me to the power of worship and how our posture during worship moves the heart of God.
While those minutes seemed like hours, my life was wrecked for the better. To this day, I LOVE worship, and I certainly owe it to Pastor Mary. Thankfully, God's more concerned about my posture in His presence than my ability to carry a tune. Since that experience, worship has taken me to places with the Lord that has stilled me in seasons of uncertainty...secured me in seasons of heartache...healed me in seasons of pain...uplifted me in seasons of waiting. Worship is willingly lifting Him up even when we feel empty because worship has nothing to do with us but everything to do with Him.
You see, God's intentional in how He orders our steps. I needed to grasp the power of worship in that season because it was going to carry me as I stood before a judge asking for leniency in my mom's prison sentence. I needed worship to carry me through as I watched basically everything we owned vanish, including the money in our bank accounts. I needed to understand the power of worship as it carried me through more dark valleys ahead. If you worship in the waiting, it will carry you in the going.
God inhabits the praises of His people according to Psalm 22:3 and I can assure you as your worship goes up, His heart is touched and in return He touches yours. I don't know what you are believing God for at this very moment but may I encourage you to worship while you wait....for a positive pregnancy test, for news that the cancer is gone, for your loved one(s) to be saved, for your marriage to be restored, for your child to be healed, and your miracle to be found.
Worship While You Wait, my friend, because HE changes everything!
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