Monday, May 7, 2007

Havin' a Blast

[Re-reading this post, I realize that I may come across as cranky and irritated. Good.]

A lot of pastors have trademark phrases, things they say often enough from the pulpit that their congregations begin to notice them and keep track of them. I just heard about one local pastor's most-often repeated trademark phrase:

"I'm glad worship is so much fun. If worship wasn't fun, I wouldn't do it."

Apparently, this is a common saying at the end of their "praise and worship" session, after the final, rousing song has gotten everybody all riled-up. I get the impression the phrase may often be prefaced by a "Whooo!" a la Nature Boy Ric Flair.

Consider that for a moment. If worship wasn't fun, I wouldn't do it.

Is that why we worship, because it's just so darn much fun?

I want to propose an idea that I think is slightly more biblical. Maybe we ought to worship the Almighty God because He deserves to be worshipped. Maybe we should worship the Lord because the chief end of man is to glorify Him, and so to do less than that is to fall short of our calling...? Hello? Tap, tap....is this thing on?

You want fun, buy an X-box and entertain yourself on your own time. Call upon your iPod in the day of trouble. Petition your Wii wand to save you from hell.

But when you're ready to worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness, find a Reformed church that is focused on the reading and declaration of the Word, not because of how fun it is (although I personally enjoy few things more) but because of how right it is, and because of the depth of your need.