When Worship is Relevant

I decided to write this morning because my work day doesn't start until noon today.  I feel very privileged to work with the Rev. Dr. Margaret Fowler, she is one tough lady.  She was diagnosed with cancer on a Monday, had surgery that Thursday and except for the mandatory time required to recuperate from that surgery, she really hasn't skipped a beat.  Ok, so instead of preaching two sermons each Sunday, she is preaching one!  Wow!  She finished her last chemo session on the day I arrived.  So, I hope that I can be a great help to her while I am here.

I shared some of my personal encounter with senseless violence with the women of the worship committee.  I don't know, it just seemed to come up as we were discussing how we can create a greater awareness in the peoples hearts and mind about all of the violence going on in Jamaica, especially with the number of children being victimized.  I said yesterday that I would share a horrific story (this is what prompted that worship committee discussion).  About a week before I arrived a 4 year old girl was murdered.  Her mom had walked her half way to school that day (as was her custom) and as the little girl continued on her way she encountered her father's ex-girlfriend.  The ex-girlfriend was apparently jilted by the little girl's father.  Although the father was no longer involved with the little girls mother, the ex-girlfriend kidnapped the child and beheaded her with a machete in retaliation for the father breaking off their relationship!  Horrible? Yes, absolutely!  During this same week, a 6 month old girl was shot 6 times in Chicago in retaliation for her father's gang activity!  This type of human indecency is permeating the globe and we... OK, no soap box today, but please think about it.

What I love about Margaret Fowler is her refusal to become or allow her church to become desensitized to this and other dreadful and repugnant acts of violence, because while it may seem so far (not our town, not our friends), it is ever so close.  So we will include in our worship a cry to God for help and pray that our hearts not grow cold and insensitive.  Hopefully, this will be the catalyst of a series of awareness and prayer events that will culminate with Hope United making some small contribution to creating a safe space for children. 

That is what I call relevant worship!   I've grown tired of vague, meaningless, powerless prayers...  OK, no soap box today, but please think about it.

My thought for today is this:  Worship must begin with believing that God is who God says that God is and because God is, God can do what God says God can do.  With this in mind, worship must be entered into with great expectation.  When this happens worship will flow from our hearts to the heart of God and God's spirit and glory will be made manifest among us.  This is worship that is transformational.