God must hate emotions
Posted on 10 Apr 2007
I’ve caught myself and others criticize any worship that is done for emotional purposes. In other words, if I choose to sing and dance into the emotional beauty of the moment I am somehow whoring out God; he mustn’t be interested in my words of adoration or praise if I am benefiting. Consequently, we believe that the best worship occurs when one forgets about the self and focuses on God. This certainly does occur at times, and our humility and repentance are moments of beauty as we submit ourselves to the Almighty, but why must we dismiss any of our own enjoyment or delight in worship as we sing words of truth and awe. Of course, God is not a whore, or a gum ball machine that gives me a rush when I put in my two bits, but ultimately, worship serves our own needs as humans, for God does not need us to cheer him up with our affirmations. We may also complain that a particular worship service or style doesn’t “do it” for us, and then immediately condemn ourselves for such insecure or selfish desires. “It should be about God–not me.” Yes and no. Our worship is realizing who God is and who we are, and discovering the marvel and mystery to such a relationship, this can be done well, it can feel closer to your tastes. I do not espouse any theology that places humans at the center, but I don’t believe we are at our most Christ-like when we focus on God and do so by annihilating ourselves and our desires. To focus on God is to focus on ourselves too. (I’m not going to bludgeon any MHGS students with a ‘both/and’ here, but it does come to mind). In general, I think modern worship could use a good epicurean spike. So… would a parent condemn their child for enjoying a trip to the amusement park? Or preferring the roller coaster over the ferris wheel? Inferior metaphors I realize. Whatcha got?
&runawaywithyoutowardthelight
“Been Here Before“
Nicole
12 Apr 2007 (21:45)
I would argue that God, in some ways does need our affirmations in worship. We are relational beings, made in His image. So, in the ways we desire to connect with those we have relationships with, God desires to connect with us, and have us reach out to Him and affirm Him. After all, affirmation, adoration is worship.
I don’t mean to infer that God “can’t make it through the day” without us telling Him about himself, things He already knows about his power. Of course, we neglect to connect with him probably more often than we are faithful to. But, I think, like any relationship, there is mutual need to connect, when it comes to our relationship with God.
Naomi
16 Apr 2007 (13:50)
William Canterbury had this great quote, “Worship is the submission of all of our nature to God. It is the quickening of conscience by His holiness, nourishment of mind by His truth, purifying of imagination by His beauty, opening of the heart to His love,and submission of will to His purpose. And all this gathered up in adoration is the greatest of human expressions of which we are capable.”
rachael
23 Apr 2007 (01:16)
i like these thoughts…because you can’t have mutual connection without being who you are. there is something about our createdness that God delights in. i have felt God’s delight in me when i am stubborn or wrestling with him. there is something playful about God at times. of course he is worthy of our worship and praise, and even the rocks cry out right? maybe it should say…and even sigur ros will cry out or the album leaf.
Zadok
1 May 2007 (20:40)
Dense ideas here. So does God benefit from his Creation worshiping him? That makes me feel pretty important, but at the expense of God seeming like a little grump.