Of Bubbles and Worship

Sang a Michael Bynum original last night at Vineyard ReCovery. 

The Lord is worthy to be worshipped.

Every day, every way, all the time.

Every day, not just a few moments on Sunday morning.

EVERY way, not just with song.

ALL THE TIME - 86,400 seconds a day.

How?

Psalm 111 shares the secret.

How amazing are the deeds of the Lord!

All who delight in Him should ponder them. (Recovery Bible NLT)

ALL WHO DELIGHT IN HIM SHOULD PONDER THEM, his amazing deeds . . . HIM.

To ponder means to think about something - to STOP what I'm doing, put everything on HOLD for a moment, and think about something more than just a second.  In order to ponder, I have to be looking at whatever is around me  EXPECTING to see something - gazing at life, getting out of bed in the morning KNOWING that I WILL SEE GOD somewhere throughout day, hopefully multiple times throughout the day.  Living like this requires being PRESENT in the moments of the day - not reliving yesterday or fretting over tomorrow, content in today.

So worship is not just singing.  I confess that I have gone to church and sung words I've sung a gazillion times and not touched God because I wasn't present, and I wasn't expecting, and I wasn't gazing or pondering.  Familiar songs are dangerous because we sing them without THINKNG.  (Not knocking singing here)

What does Psalm 111 say we should ponder?

• EVERYTHING He does reveals His glory and majesty.
• His righteousness NEVER fails.
• How gracious and merciful He is. [I AM - Emanuel - is WITH us.]
• He gives food (spiritual bread too) to those who FEAR Him. [fear as in reverence as well as standing in awe of His power]
• He ALWAYS remembers His covenant.  [His original promises and those He's made to each of us individually]
• He reveals His great power to His people.
• ALL He does is just and good. [regardless of the difficulty or the pain]
• ALL His commandments are trustworthy. [We can cash them in at the bank.]
• His words are FOREVER true, to be obeyed faithfully and with integrity [good character, godly character]
• He has pain a FULL ransom for His people.  [the complete, full price.  God first paid the price by sending deliverers like Joseph and Moses.  Then He sent the Law which made provision for sacrifices to ransom us.  Finally, Jesus came and became THE ultimate ransom for us.  His blood once and for all paid the price for our reconciliation with Father God and for the chance at living a godly, joyful life.]
•  He has guaranteed His covenant promises FOREVER.

That's quite a list.  There is sooooooooooooooo much more!

Now, what does all of this have to do with bubbles?

THERE IS HOLINESS AND MAJESTY IN THE MUNDANE IF IF IF IF IF IF WE PAUSE A MOMENT AND HAVE THE EYES TO SEE!

The holiest moments I have had were not in church and did not involve singing.

Standing at the sink doing dishes . . . I do not like doing dishes, especially pots and pans.  So, standing at the sink . . . Suddenly, light meets water.  Mini rainbow appears.  I SEE.  I THINK.  I SMILE.  

Behind my smile is "knowing."  THE God of the universe engineered this MIRACLE, this moment, and the greatest miracle of all - I SEE. 

How many times have these bubble, this rainbow happened before? Gazillions - I cook a lot. This time, though, I SEE AND I SMILE.  The smile becomes worship for there is a "knowing" this time and a pondering and an acknowledging.  I WORSHIP!  No singing, no scripture, just smiling . . . and wrinkled flesh. 

A holy moment . . . God Almighty, Elohim, sees me, and I see Him in all His beauty, mystery, and majesty . . . WORSHIP.  Five seconds maybe.  That's all it took.  Gazing . . . expectancy . . . pondering . . . worship . . . the HOLY right there in my kitchen in the  middle of Mundane - ville.

Worship = really seeing and pondering and acknowledging.

Everything He does reveals His glory and majesty. (Psalm 111)