During COVID-19 when we were in lockdown, I spent a lot of time in worship at home on my own. It was an intimate experience to worship God in my bedroom and I found it brought me closer in relationship with Him to spend my time reflecting in worship on who He is to me and how much He has brought me through in my life already. My time with Him in worship helped me hear more clearly from Him and the things He wanted me to pray for, and I was often overwhelmed by His presence.
In saying all of that, coming back to church and back to corporate worship was powerful. It felt fulfilling being back in His presence corporately as He filled the auditorium and filled me with love for Him, hope for the future and complete surrender.
For me, worship draws me closer in relationship to Jesus.
It takes me into the throne room
Often when I am in worship and lifting my hands to God, I can picture Him in the throne room looking at His church with so much love. To praise Him, to enter the throne room full of thankfulness and gratitude is an honour. I love how the room just fills with His presence and we can have this opportunity to draw close to Him as a church and also at home amongst friends or just ourselves. They aren’t just words we sing, they are a conversation with God.
“God is spirit, and His worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth” (John chapter 4 verses 24)
It opens the doors of heaven
As His presence is amongst us, the doors of heaven are open and in this time, we can intercede in prayer. It is an opportunity like no other to be able to bring our requests, our fears, our pain, our needs to Him. For me it is a time to pray for our leadership, for the preacher about to preach, for my connect group leader, for those who lead our country. A time to pray for those who do not know God, those who are away from God. A time to pray for healing, for breakthrough or for whatever He is asking me to pray for.
“Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you”(Jeremiah chapter 29 verses 12)
It brings me to my knees
There is nothing for me like worship to bring to a place of surrender. It is in worship that I often find myself letting go of things that were never mine to carry, like my fears and anxieties, my offences and unforgiveness, my concern for what is going on in the world and in my world. Here in that moment is when I give it to God, where I find myself on my knees in complete awe of who God is and what He has done so that I can live a life He has called me to without the weight of my world on my shoulders. And then I stay on my knees and just be with Him, my heart worshiping Him, because He is my everything.
“as the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.” (Psalm chapter 42 verses 1-2)