Deep Worship

Shortly after I was healed from a life-threatening disease and baptized in the Holy Spirit, I was asked to minister in a church where I was introduced to a dimension of worship that I had never experienced before...

Sitting on the platform, observing the worship service that was so different from that to which I was accustomed - I was fascinated by all that was going on around me. Though their worship expression seemed almost irreverent.  I could tell these people deeply loved the Lord and were expressing their love to Him.  I looked down from my seat on the platform and saw a  woman standing with her hands raised and her eyes closed worshiping God. She was perhaps 35 years old. Her face glowed as if it reflected a thousand-watt light bulb. Tears were flowing down her cheeks, and I heard her say, "I love You, Jesus."

As I watched her, it seemed to me that her face got brighter and brighter. I couldn't hear everything she was saying from where I was, and I was curious. So I walked down off the platform and stood in front of her. She ignored me.  I leaned over and said, "You and the Lord are having a good time, aren't you, honey?" 

Still she didn't pay attention to me. I was insulted. I thought, Doesn't she know I am the guest evangelist?  I heard her say, "You are the lily of the valley. I love You. You are the bright and morning star." I recognized that she was quoting love phrases from the Song of Solomon. She continued, "Thank You for being my husband, my friend." Somewhat awed, I went back to the platform.

But I could not take my eyes off her. I knew she was experiencing the presence of God in a way that I never had. I watched her awhile, then walked back down to stand by her.  She did not know I was there. So I returned to the platform a second time. Still watching her, I thought, Maybe she doesn't hear well.  I walked down a third time and stood behind her so I could speak into her ear. Again I said, "You and the Lord are having a good time together, aren't you?"  

What I really wanted to say was, "What is going on? I don't understand what it is you are enjoying." I thought she could explain it to me, but still she did not acknowledge my presence. This time when I returned to the platform, I felt as if someone punched me. I recognized that it was the Lord trying to get my attention. He spoke to me so sweetly: "you can have that if you want it."

I didn't even know what "that" was, but I assumed He was referring to my fascination with the young worshiper.  I went to my room after the service and got on my knees. I said to the Lord, "All right, what is it? You said I could have the thing that made that girl so 'lost' she didn't know I was there. What is that?"

The Lord answered, "I seek a people who worship Me in spirit and truth."  I asked,   "Is that worship? Then what have I been doing all these years?"

"Prior to this revelation of worship," He replied gently, "you have simply been doing what you knew to do" Then, the Lord asked me three simple questions:

"What would you do if you had just heard the gates of heaven click behind your heels, and you knew you were through with the devil forever?" 

 I responded, "I would shout, 'Glory!'" He said, "Shout it." And I did. 

 I told Him that I would cry, "Hallelujah!"  He said, "Do it." And I did.

Then He asked me what I would do if I looked up and saw Jesus for the first time. 

I said that I would bow at His feet, kiss His nail-scarred hands and wash His feet with my tears.  He said, "Do it."

I experienced a fresh glimpse of the Lamb of God. I began to bow before the Lamb who was slain, but He asked me to look up into His face. "When you see Me face to face," He asked, "what will you tell Me?"  When I heard those words, it was as if a dam within my soul broke, allowing torrents of praise to flood my lips. I told Him how wonderful He was. I recited the attributes of God I had learned in Bible college.

When I finished, He asked me if these were the only adjectives I had for Him.  With a sense of awe I responded simply, "You are wonderful."  I saw the face of Jesus before me. As I looked into His face, I told Him how much I loved Him. I had never done that in my life. I told Him how precious He was to me. I went on and on, trying to express my love for Him with my limited vocabulary.  When it seemed as if just a few moments had passed, it had actually been an hour and a half since I first knelt there. 



For the first time in my life I had been in the presence of God in such a way that I had lost all consciousness of time. I had begun to experience true worship, my heart responding to the love of God and expressing adoration and love to Him. All my years of Bible training, study and ministry had not evoked the response of worship from my heart that a few moments of divine revelation in His presence had.  



My renewed study of the Scriptures concerning worship has helped me understand the divine destiny each of us has to become worshipers.  My Teacher, the blessed Holy Spirit, opened my spiritual eyes to the purpose of God for our personal fulfill- ment, to become worshipers of God in spirit and in truth. Scripture passages came to life in my heart in a new way. Since that experience in my room, I have enjoyed God's manifest presence in praise and worship many times. I have also experienced the glory of His presence while studying His precious Word, and with other believers.

WORSHIP, from Webster's Dictionary:

showing honor or reverence to a divine being or supernatural power;to regard with great, even extravagant respect, honor or devotion; to take part in an act of worship 

"Worship is not an arrogant demand of God toward His creatures; it is rather a natural response from our hearts."

adapted from: "Worship Him"   by the late Fuchsia Pickett