Spiritual Worship

"'Spiritual worship' refers to worship where God is recognized and is grasped by the mind, as happens when it fears and trusts the God." --Apology of the Augsburg Confession, Article XXIV: The Mass (Kolb/ Wengert Edition, (c) 2000)

Romans 12:1-- "I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship." (ESV)

Some say that our Lutheran Church--Missouri Synod is in the middle of a "worship war." That is to say, the debate about what constitutes true Lutheran worship is under discussion. (note: I find it interesting that we aren't talking about "Christian worship" but "Lutheran worship. But I digress.)

The words of the writers of the Apology tell us what spiritual, ergo "true", worship is. It's worship that engages the reason so as to fear and trust God more. It doesn't mention anything about forms, functions, liturgies, or orders. That which engages the reason to ponder God and leads to a further fear and/or trust in Him is spiritual worship.

For some, this is done by following a liturgy over and over and over again, so that the truths of Scripture reflected in that liturgy are imprinted upon the mind, heart, and soul of the believer. For some, reviewing the same words and concepts allows for a deeper understanding. I see great beauty in sitting with believers who are able to recite a confessional verse from memory while in their old age. The word of God has become a part of them. But, I also see the downside for some. Doing the same thing over and over and over again can be boring and allows the brain to disengage. When this happens, it's no longer spiritual worship.

Likewise, a new format with a service that changes every week can challenge the mind to try and wrap itself around new concepts each week and can give some believers a sense of anticipation to see where they will be led this week. I see great beauty in people who are excited about their faith and can't wait to come to worship. But, I also see the downside for some. Some come with an expectation to be entertained each week and, if this need is not met, they feel like worship "didn't speak to them." Because they didn't "feel" worship, they didn't engage their mind and it wasn't true worship.

I find it interesting to hear discussions about form, when "spiritual worship" comes down to engaging the individual believer. When this is done, it's true worship.

Phoning it in

I have a confession to make: I phoned it in yesterday.

I went to worship and walked through the motions. I checked the boxes, fulfilled my duty, stood when I was supposed to, sat down when I was done. I sang, prayed, read, and everything else that are the motions of worship. But, my heart wasn't in it. I phoned it in.

What makes it worse is that I was the worship leader.

The temptation of military ministry is to be so much a Soldier that I forget to be a Pastor. Don't get me wrong, there are a lot of benefits to being a chaplain. I can go to where Soldiers work, pull them off their job, and talk to them if need be. I have the advantage of only convincing one person, my Battalion Commander, of what needs to be done instead of convincing a Voters' Assembly of 100 or so that the same things need to be done. But, one of the pitfalls is to be such a good Soldier, that I forget to be a Pastor.

This week I got caught up in being a Soldier. So, Sunday morning I was scrambling at the last minute to put a message together, choose some songs for worship, and finalize my PowerPoint slides. Needless to say, I didn't feel the mountains tremble in worship.

But, just because I didn't feel the Spirit move doesn't mean that He wasn't there. By the same token, the truth that the Spirit of God is present everywhere doesn't forgive my lack of preparation. In actuality, because the Spirit was there and saw the terrible job I had done in preparing worship, I feel more condemned and guilty.

"So, I fall on my knees to get back on my feet again." Yesterday afternoon I had a "come-to-Jesus meeting," a term we use in the Army for a meeting where someone is told he/she better shape up quick. I came to my Lord in prayer and begged His forgiveness, which He gave me for Jesus' sake, and so today I am starting my worship preparation for next week. I'm doing my best to make sure that I do my part to aid the Holy Spirit this Sunday. I'm getting ready to meet Him in worship so that my life would be changed...again.

"So I fall on my knees
To get back on my feet again
And I cry out for You
Would You please speak to me" -- from "Healer" by Ten Shekel Shirt, off their Much album.

I apologize if I'm being "biblical" enough in my posts but these are the things that are hitting my spirit at the moment.

The irony of this chorus is just too much to ignore. How can someone get to their feet by falling to their knees? It sounds like gymnastics and some sort of backflip is involved. Physically, it seems impossible, but spiritually, it's necessary.

The first church I served, we had kneelers in the pews. These were little benches that folded down from the pew in front. We used them during Confession as a way to humble our posture and humble ourselves before the Lord. Most churches will stand but we knelt. A lot of people complained saying that it was "too Catholic" for them, but I found the position beneficial to my spiritual life. To kneel before the Lord of my life and tell Him how I had messed things up.

Personally, I coupled this with a concept I picked up from the the book Shogun, by James Clavell. The book is about an English sailor who is shipwrecked in Japan in the 17th century and how he adjusts to feudal Japan. When the sailor asks about why people bow, his Japanese teacher explains that to bow before one's mastor is to offer him the back of your neck so that he can cut your head off if he chooses. Bowing is an act of servitude, as if to say, "My whole life is yours and, if you are not pleased with my life, then take it from me."

I couldn't imagine holding this attitude with another human being but that's exactly how I want to be before my God. I think of this every time I reverence the altar. I bow low and just a tad bit too long, in my own way saying, "Lord, my life is yours. You have bought it through the precious blood of Christ. If you are not pleased with it, change it or take it from me. Thy will be done." So far, every time, God has allowed me to keep my life and has been satisfied to change it and alter it according to His purposes.

True humility in the presence of God is the only way to be able to stand in this world. To fall on our knees in order to get back onto our feet is the path for our lives.

The Presence of God

"I'm here to meet with you
Come and meet with me
I'm here to find you
Reveal yourself to me

As I wait, you make me strong
As I long, draw me to your arms
As I stand and sing your praise
You come, you come and you fill this place
Won't you come, Won't you come and fill this place

I'm here to meet with you
Come and meet with me
I'm here to find you,
Reveal yourself to me

As I wait, you make me strong
As I long, draw me to your arms
As I stand and sing your praise
You come, you come and you fill this place
Won't you come, Won't you come and fill this place

I'm here to meet with you
Come and meet with me"

--"Meet With Me" by Ten Shekel Shirt (from the album: Much)

Earlier this week, I posted about how we have lost the "bigness" or transcendence of God. I want to balance that with some comments about the other side of God: His immanence. While we need to keep a fear of the Lord, a fear that would knock us down as though dead if we were to see Him, it's also important that we not make him so big that He wouldn't deign to come and be a part of our life.

One of the funny/ sad things about being an Army chaplain is the people that I work with, namely drill sergeants. Their language is, how shall we say, colorful? Their humor is broken into two camps: bathroom jokes and sex jokes. So, when the chaplain is in their area, needless to say, they are a little uncomfortable. Unavoidably, someone will drop some sort of expletive, look at me, and say, "Pardon me, chaplain." My response is this: "Yeah...because God is only watching when I am around."

How often do we forget that God's Spirit is with us always? Jesus' promise is that He would be with us always, even to the very end of the age. Yet, we forget that His presence is here. Instead, as Ten Shekel Shirt sings/ prays, "Come meet with me." Or as many Christians mistakenly quote Matt. 18: "Where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there in the midst of them." So, what about when I am alone and there is no pastor and the devil is running rampant through my head? What do I do then?

We have forgotten that God's omnipotent Spirit is with us ALWAYS...even when we don't feel it. God's presence doesn't depend on our feeling. Jesus is with us, now, today, with forgiveness and power to live a new life. Amen.

Wicked or Wise?

"Whoever corrects a mocker invites insult; whoever rebukes a wicked man incurs abuse. Do not rebuke a mocker or he will hate you; rebuke a wise man and he will love you. Instruct a wise man and he will be wiser still; teach a righteous man and he will add to his learning. The fear of the LORD is the beginning of all wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." --Prov. 9:7-10

Each morning we have a Risk Assessment Meeting at 0700 (7:00 am for you non-military types.) One of the things that I get to do is share a brief 2-3 minute thought for the day. I have to keep it somewhat "God-neutral" in order not to offend the faiths of the Soldiers present, but I can always speak for myself. The verse above is what I shared this morning, minus the part in bold.

As I looked at this verse, I thought, "How do I know if someone is a mocker or a wise person? Wicked or righteous? This is important because I need to know how to speak to them if they are present." As I mulled this over, I realized that it's not important to know which a person is before you tell them because they will reveal themselves after you teach them.

Have you ever known someone who knew everything? Do you remember what it's like trying to teach that person something? Hard, isn't it? Probably a mocker. Likewise, I have had some people that I considered to be much wiser than me who have asked my opinion on a number of different issues and I felt as though they were actually learning something from me. The first guy is a mocker; the second a wise person.

How we fit into this verse depends on how we react to correction. I have made my fair share of mistakes in my 15 months of active duty. More importantly, I have learned from each and every one of them. Each time is a chance for me to learn what "right looks like" and I appreciate each one. I didn't necessarily enjoy each one, but I do appreciate each one. I hope that this attitude makes me wise and not a fool. Even in the bad things of life, there are lessons to be learned and "we know that God works all things for the good of those who love Him." (Rom. 8:28)

This morning, I had to leave off the the 10th verse, but I don't have to do that here. "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of all wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding." Many people like to change the word "respect" for "fear." Not having my original text in front of me, I can't comment on that. But, I can comment on why some would want to do this. We have lost the transcendence of God.

Recently I was at a pastor's conference and sat at the feet of one of my professors from Seminary, Dr. Jeff Gibbs. He was one of my favorites. He commented on the fear of the Lord by referencing a worship song that is popular right now, we even sang it at camp.

Open the eyes of my heart, Lord.
Open the eyes of my heart.
I want to see you.
I want to see you.

His response to this request was simply, "No, we don't." He then recounted the reactions of many Biblical characters when they were saw God face-to-face: Moses had to be protected from the presence of God, Isaiah thought he was dead, and John fell down as though dead. When faced with the awesome power of the presence of a Being that can tolerate no sin, these men were terrified. When in the presence of the Almighty Creator of the Universe, these men were afraid.

Yet, we want a cuddly God, a kind Jesus, a life-enhancing Spirit. These are things we can respect...without the fear that Moses, Isaiah, and John experienced. Now, I'm not saying that we should be so afraid of God that we we think He'll strike us down if we do just one little thing wrong. But, I am saying that we need to remember that this kind Jesus was also one who walked on water, turned water to wine, and cast demons out of people. This cuddly God has more power than we can comprehend and we need to be afraid of that because in that fear, we find wisdom.

Guarding One's Heart

"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life." --Proverbs 4:23

I had a real revelation about this Scripture this week; it was revealed to me by a light-sign in front of a tool and die manufacturer in Milford, IA. It's one of those random "God moments" that happen so often in life.

Youth Week at Camp Okoboji was just what I needed to guard my heart. The Army takes so much out of a person...not just chaplains. Before I left, I felt that my heart was hardening. I think it's the environment. Whatever the reason, I was almost to the point where I didn't care anymore. The trainees that I saw were just numbers and items on a to-do list. It helped to get away and have some fun with people who are doing something because they want to...not people who are trying to get out of a bad decision.

But the week wasn't without its frustrations. It's sad to see such a wild place like Camp Okoboji be tamed. The area around camp has changed as more and more people want to live on the water. Civilization is closing in around it. Also, people are so worried about every little thing. In a society where a person gets a million bucks for not knowing that coffee is hot when bought from McDonald's, it's difficult to let kids be kids. This should have been a wild week of discovery and renewal for the 100 youth who were there. They should have had a chance to meet the wild-eyed Jesus that led fishermen, tax-collectors, and others on a three year journey of self-discovery. Instead, it was more of a "how-to" on being a good person. "A Christian doesn't act this way. A Christian doesn't wear that. A Christian doesn't listen to that music." Eeesh. Sometimes I wanted to wretch and then pummel some people. A Christian isn't defined by what he or she does, but rather by what he or she believes. The doing will come as the belief becomes more implanted and more mature.

I felt like we strove to make bad kids good and good kids better. What about making kids wild for Jesus? What about making them realize that the world they returned to is not "the real world?" What about helping them to change their world by challenging their beliefs about themselves and their Savior? I have no doubt that we improved many lives through the actions of this week. The question that I have is this: did we ruin anyone's life with the Gospel? I'm not so sure.

Of Belly Flops, Back-flips, and Walking with Christ

I spent about 45 minutes this afternoon on a raft in the middle of the lake. It was swim time and there were a few campers there splashing around. So, I decided to hold an impromptu Belly Flop Contest. For the huge prize of $1, camper after camper would purposefully land on their stomach, hoping to be judged as the "best" belly-flopper. Forget what on-lookers would say or how their mid-sections feel in the morning; it was all about the buck.

Some didn't want that kind of pain, so I taught them to do back flips. We had a couple of people who had never done one but with a little bit of coaching, they were flipping like pros in just a few minutes. My constant tag line for this was: "Not only will you leave camp knowing Jesus but you can also do a backflip." It was really cool to see the look on a camper's face when they came back up from the surface.

In life, so many of us are willing to endure a lot of pain for a small reward. We are willing to wreck relationships for a short-lived gain. We are willing to endanger our lives for a quick fix. We take huge risks for something that won't last a year. It was just as stupid on the dock this afternoon as it is for our lives.

But, sometimes the risk is worth the reward. To learn a new skill can be scary...really scary. To meet a new person, to take a new job, to change careers, or any thing like this can feel like we're 13, standing on the edge of a dock, about to flip our head over our heels and come within mere inches of certain injury.

But all fo this is kid-stuff, right? There's a reason we don't know any better when we're younger: we have time to redeem our mistakes. Or, at least that's the lie that we tell ourselves. There's just something so cool about standing backward on a dock getting ready to throw my feet over my head. To go head over heels for Christ can be a great experience, too.

The Importance of a Mentor

This morning was fun! Brad Niemeyer and Jocelyn Hayes were playing some guitar during free time this morning, so I picked up a guitar and started joining with them. Man, they have some serious skills. It was hard to keep up with them but it was good to be challenged to keep up with them.

Man, is that like our walk with Christ, or what? It can be challenging and embarrassing to admit that we need help with this part of our life. It's difficult to admit that our walk is suffering or that we can't walk as fast or as far as someone else.

Last night, at the Point for devo's, I realized that I didn't need it anymore because I can take it with me. So many people say, "I love going to the point because I need that time to feel close to God." I don't. I've learned that God is with me where I am; He doesn't wait for me to come to where he is. Maybe you haven't gotten this far in your walk with Christ. As my good friend, Jeff Schanze, and I say, "Some people are at different places in their Christian walk." But, I hope that you will get to that point where you know that God is with you wherever you go and most times, we just have to be quiet and let God be God and get out of the way.

Excelsior!