Redeeming Worship

Have you ever had one of those moments when you’re completely overwhelmed?

Tonight was one of those nights.

As I entered into Jesus’ presence at All Campus Worship in Foellinger Auditorium, surrounded by a thousand other people, God spoke to me. We weren’t even into the third song, but God met me. As I stood in my aisle seat toward the front, I took in the people who were surrounding me. My gaze was met with an African-American man sweating as he sang and danced on stage. I saw Asian-Americans standing in front of me, their eyes closed and bodies erect worshipping God. In the front row I noticed a red-headed girl using her hands to sign American Sign Language accompanying the words she was already singing from her mouth. Two rows back from her, a white girl with dark hair held both of her hands above her head, making big sweeping motions as she sang to her Savior. To the right of me, several students in wheelchairs sang with their heads tilted back in worship.

And God said to me, “Brittany, this is who I am.”

Tonight I realized that I was experiencing my last All Campus Worship as a college student. With that realization, it caused me to think back to when I was a freshman experiencing All Campus Worship for the first time. Three and a half years ago, I would have looked out on the crowd that I saw tonight and I would have thought that the African-American man was too enthusiastic in his worship. I would have seen those Asian-Americans as too solemn in their worship of God. The white girl waving her arms I would have thought was just trying to draw attention to herself while I was trying to focus on Jesus.

My attitude in these judgments reflected my attitude towards God. Then, I saw Him as a Creator who demanded worship in a particular way—my way, to be exact—in order for Him to receive the worship that we gave. Now, that critical, legalistic perspective which limited my own worship of God in so many ways has been replaced with humility, joy and love. As I took in the variety of expressions of worship tonight, I was reminded of God’s redeeming work in me.

Earlier this week I read in the book of Luke when Jesus is addressing the Pharisees and His disciples, “For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you.” I was struck tonight by this idea of how the kingdom of God lives within each of us—within each of our own expressions of worship even though it manifests itself in so many different, beautiful ways. The truth found in the message of the kingdom of God is the same, but how it displays itself in each of us is completely different. But each expression of worship that I experienced tonight is uniquely, handcrafted by our Savior. We were created to glorify and to worship God and the ways in which we do that reflect how He has designed us. There is no right way. There is only God’s way.

God desires to bring all of His creation back to Himself. He has redeemed my judgmental heart and He is still redeeming it and will continue to do so until every piece of it is under the full authority and reign of Jesus. In the same way that God is redeeming us, He is redeeming our worship. He desires our worship to reflect what He originally intended it to be—glimpses of how He has designed us. African-American, Asian-American, Caucasian. Hands raised, eyes closed, feet dancing. We are made in the image of God and we reflect His glory. For indeed, the kingdom of God lives within us. Amen.