Skip to main content

News Flash: You ARE a Worship Leader

 


What does worship have to do with caregiving? Hand with me a few minutes - and I'll explain. The church has long considered a "worship leader" the one who stands on the stage and leads in song. But really, that's just a song leader - not necessarily a worship leader. And sadly, over the last few years it's become more about the show than about worship. For many, it's about manipulating the crowd's actions than it has been about touching the heart of God. 

I've long held that worship isn't about music at all. At best music may be an expression of worship, but it's not worship. True worship is sacrificing our desires for His. Think of Abraham. He laid Isaac on the altar, fully knowing that his son was the embodiment of God's promise to him. That was an act of worship. There was no music playing. No offering taken. No instruments or choir humming in the background. It was raw and real worship - obedience to God over emotions, promises, desires, and wants.

As far as we know, Moses didn't play an instrument. But we have a picture of him as a worship leader in Exodus 33. Verses eight through 11 says, whenever Moses went out to the Tent of Meeting, all the people would get up and stand in their tent entrances. They would all watch Moses until he disappeared inside. As he went into the tent, the pillar of cloud would come down and hover at the entrance while the Lord spoke with Moses. Then all the people would stand and bow low at their tent entrances. Inside the Tent of Meeting, the Lord would speak to Moses, face to face, as a man speaks to his friend. Aftward, Moses would return to the camp, but the young man who assisted him, Joshua son of Nun, stayed behind in the Tent of Meeting. - Now that's a picture of leading worship. No music, no offering, no padded pews!

What does that have to do with us as caregivers? I'm so glad you asked!

As I was praying yesterday, I was asking God about some things a friend had said to me. I asked Him about worship. I reminded Him (tongue in cheek here....) that I used to be a "worship leader." And told Him that those days were long gone. But He overwhelmed me with an image that played in my head and touched my heart.

When we as caregivers run to Him with our concerns - and when we are in the depth of pain that only caregivers carry and understand - and we bring that pain to Him again and again - that is a pure act of worship. 

  • Running to Him with our cares = worship.
  • Letting our crying hearts pour it all out before Him = worship.
  • Coming to Him for help with a heavy load = worship.
  • Bringing it all and pouring it all out at His feet, again and again, = worship.
  • Being mad at life (and Him sometimes too) - yet returning to Him, again and again, = worship.
  • Being still when we are unsure of what to do - and waiting for His answer = worship.
The picture in my imagination was of me coming back to Him again and again, in the pain. In the confusion. In the anger. In the good times and the bad. That running back to Him and seeking His help, His word, His peace. Is worship because it all equates to putting Him first.

So, as believing caregivers - we are worship leaders. Everyone who is watching sees our situations. Even if they don't fully comprehend what we carry - they see us carrying it to Him over and over again. They see our selfless acts and our intense need and desire for Him in the midst of it all. That is "worship leading."

Today, I will turn my focus to Him once again. I will lean in to hear His heart for today. I'll think about worship beyond just a song we sing as I lift my heart to place it in His and trust Him for one more day. Will you join me?

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
101 Gifts for Caregivers Bookcover

Check out my eBook store for free items like this 101 Gifts for Caregivers. it's free - so is "Poems for Caregivers." These items and more are on my Dove's Fire Ministries Bookstore! I have a few study guides and devotionals on my Amazon store too.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Ups and Downs

  Maybe it's just "that time of year" for me, but I've struggled a lot the last few weeks. I still affectionately  call it the caregiver's fog. Lol. Okay, maybe it's not-so-affectionately. I know I can share my true feelings with you guys because you get it. You understand the day-to-day grind of caregiving. The military has a saying about there being no easy day. I think we live in that reality. It's just not easy caring for another whole person, is it? Caregiving presents many difficulties. We can find ourselves alone, so very alone on this journey. It doesn't just go away. We don't just work through it. It seems to go on and on. There are lots of ups and downs - and that can be about every 90 seconds some days. Right? (smile!) As I've been working through this emotional maze the last few days, I turned my thoughts to Daniel. Let's take a realistic look at his circumstances because as we read his story in the Bible, we tend to glamorize i

Seasons Are Temporary

  This morning, I found myself reading in Isaiah 28. I ended up there because I was looking for something in particular, and even though I didn't find what I was looking for, I found what I needed. God's so cool like that, isn't He? My eyes first fell on verse 29, which says in the NKJ: This also comes from the Lord of hosts, Who is wonderful in counsel and excellent in guidance. I rolled that over in my mind and heart a few times and spent a few minutes thinking about how I'd seen His counsel in action in my own life. We've all had those times when we weren't sure what to do or where to go, and suddenly, an idea drops into our thoughts. There are many ways He provides direction for us. He may direct our steps through a passage of scripture, a trusted spiritual leader such as a pastor, a YouTube teacher, and maybe even a lowly blog writer. Lol. No matter how He chooses to deliver His counsel, it comes - but we must listen. After I had rolled these thoughts and t

Seek and Ye Shall Find

 Over the last few weeks, I've been trying to strategize ways of dealing with stress. It's something we all deal with, especially caregivers. I'm walking and exercising more, which helps the body get rid of stress and it helps improve sleep to some degree. But I've also been working on training my thoughts. I've been working on purposefully finding things to be thankful for. At first, it was a bit difficult because let's face it, caregiving is hard work.  This morning, I was plugging Chris into a nebulizer for a breathing treatment as he had an asthma attack yesterday afternoon after we'd been out for a little bit. As I was doing his treatment and his tube feeding, I didn't even really think about it; this "thought" just rolled up out of me. I thought, thank you, Lord, for carrying us through the long night. My own thankfulness surprised me! Lol. I realized at that moment that it's getting easier and easier to be thankful, even for the litt