Friday, January 28, 2005

symposium: all of life

so a number of the speakers this weekend have mentioned the idea that our worship and communion with God is happening all the time, but a worship service is an especially focused, concentrated, communal part of that greater relationship. It occurred to me that it's sort of like a marriage: you are always married, and you stay in touch pretty consistantly (or at least most of the couples I know do) but at specific times you spend intentional, focused time together. Anyway, the point of all this is that worship should overflow into the rest of life. As Harold Best said "either we live to our creator, or we don't."

One thing that I've been thinking about in particular that is related to this is the blessing that being a worship leader has been in this regard. When I'm involved in a service, it's on my mind all week long. I'm singing those songs, and humming the harmonies as I go about everything else in my life. And when things relate to the theme of the service they jump out at me (sparkle, even) from their context. Of course there is a similar effect when I'm not involved in leading a service. I'll still sing a song from chapel or sunday morning worship all day long, or see the connections that pop up in the rest of my life. But being in leadership really keeps scriptures, praises, and prayers in the front of my mind all week long. What a gift!

1 comment:

bethany said...

oh, my. Probably not. If I was going to be as good as Fleming, though, I might consider it.