Wednesday, March 11, 2009

What would "selfless abandonment" look like in our worship?

Some give and take on a recent post.

Me:
.... May the Lord give us increasing measures of joy and selfless abandonment to him in the midst of our corporate praise!

Anonymous: 
Can you define "selfless abandonment?" I thought we were getting better at it and now it seems like our expressions may be a bit reigned in. If we can get excited about sports contests and show our enthusiasm in certain ways, why not in the much more important act of worship?


I agree. 


When I speak of "selfless abandonment" in worship, I'm thinking, in part, of Charles Wesley's phrase, "lost in wonder, love and praise," in the hymn, "Love divine." He urges us to think deeply how we'll worship the Lamb when glorified. Can you imagine -- utter freedom in worship -- body (at least in the new earth) and soul, without any remaining/ corrupting sin, without any self-conscious reservations?

I'm also thinking of Joseph Addison's earlier hymn where he confesses, "When all Thy mercies, O my God / My rising soul surveys / Transported with the view, I’m lost / In wonder, love and praise." He dares to say this marks our worship here and now!

I don't mean by "selfless abandonment" some kind of unholy loss of self-control, some sort of nervous meltdown. I'm not urging some kind of old-fashioned Shakers meeting just to prove we're free in worship! No, I do mean, however, that we should be so wholly fixed on Christ, that we move beyond fear of what others may think of us while I sing. I mean that our bodies should also be involved in the acts of worship -- singing, shouting, raising of hands, hand-clapping, dancing (however that would look!), etc. Not all at once, of course, and not on every song. The psalter itself presents to us a full complex of human emotions and response. Not always celebration, not always grief, etc. And always we have 1 Cor 14 in mind (doing things decently, to build others up). But I mean that I long to see the kinds of physical expression we find in the psalter marking our public worship!

I have often wondered, by the way, if my being self-conscious isn't a fundamental disposition resulting from pride inherited from Adam. In other words, perhaps we should repent of our self-consciousness in worship? I'm quite convinced that New Covenant worship should know something of "selfless abandonment," by faith, now. 

Our elders are convinced (and I completely agree) that we must labor to bring the entire congregation along in our worship. It's not okay to leave a few sheep straggling behind, without having exercised much patience, much love, much listening and instruction. This blog is part of that effort. (I have no idea if it's helping -- I sincerely hope so.) Not everyone is comfortable with clapping, with singing cherished hymns in a contemporary fashion, etc. I mean to diss no one in saying so. I'm sure some hold earnest opinions that differ from my own (imagine that)! 

In time our shepherds will teach more on these things. They continue to labor "behind the scenes" to help all of us learn how to love each other more sincerely -- especially at times when it may come in a musical style I don't care for. For what it's worth -- not everyone is crazy about the old hymns I teach, either. This business of loving others is a responsibility we all share.

I don't know, of course, how far HBC will move in physical expression in worship. I am committed, however, to be all the help I can be -- and not irritate anyone because I lack sympathy for his/her point of view.

Thanks for your question.


1 comment:

  1. Because we are a body of believers, we also should remember to be sensitive to others as we worship, so that we do not distract them. As I lead others, I try to remember that I'm not having some private, intimate quiet time, but rejoicing with the corporate body. We must guard against two extremes of being oblivious to others around us and being so self-conscious that we have no freedom to express.

    Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this, David.

    Mike C.

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