Mechanical:
(of a person) Acting as if one were a machine: lifeless or mindless.
Today, this is the father's heart to us: it's a beckoning to drop the shackles of notions and motions that guide our definitions of what we perceive as proper worship.
Sometimes, it feels like worship is a ride we just jump into; one that we already know how it's going to go.
We know where the ride stops to buy things by the roadside, where the pitstop is to use the restroom, where the next bus-stop is to pick others. In fact, we know it so well, we can go through every part without being truly invested. We could list every place the ride would be stopping or taking turns with our eyes closed.
Now, while the familiarity that comes with knowing a terrain is usually a good thing, it's something to be bothered about when it's how we see our worship: worship coming from us that's meant to be as alive and as heartfelt as we are. Worship that's meant to be a partnership with the sweetest of spirits, our very own Holy Spirit.
When worship or prayer that's meant to be done by leaning on his grace, becomes something we do without even giving a thought to what the beauty of that practice is, it has become mechanical.
When we see worship as something to tick off our daily schedules or when we have completely planned out how it's going to go, we've limited the Holy Spirit's ministry to us in that moment.
Now for the sake of context, I'm placing it out here that I'm referring to worship right now as just the time we spend ministering to Jesus and the Father in adoration, honour, love and sheer awe; though there is much more to worship, as it encompasses the entirety of our lives. But for today's post, my focus is on the time we spend loving on Jesus. That time that's meant to be as intimate and flexible as precious time spent discussing with a cherished other.
You know how much you'd want that time to have meaning? To have it forever engraved on your heart? To have time pause or at least move slower, so you can drink in that time spent together? Or to take note of every detail so you can replay it on days when you're not able to be with them as much (not that we've got that limitation with God)?
You know how even when it's a fixed schedule, you'd like the other person to feel free? To allow time pass lazily as you both glide on the winds of your heartfelt discussion? You know how you'd get upset if the person discussed with you with lifeless eyes and a toneless voice? And how pained you'd feel if you ever discovered they were reading out their lines straight from a script and it held no true meaning to them, no matter how romantic the words sounded?
I imagine we'd tell them to pause; to say how they truly felt, flowery words or not. I imagine we'd tell them to not be so stiff and just pour out their heart, whether or not they're sure of the words and its placement. I'm sure we'd tell them to take it slow, to enjoy now and just be. We'd tell them to forget about the approaching deadlines, the many fears, and feel free to be themselves, no matter how it looks, in front of us; because we cherish every part of them.
Well, that's what Jesus wants us to do too. He wants us to worship and mean it. He wants us to know our worship has a living, feeling recipient who wants to indulge in us as much as us in him. He wants us to feel love in our songs or words. He doesn't want dull, lifeless puppets just going through the daily or weekly motions. He wants living, breathing, heartwarming worship.
Personally, I'm learning and desiring to spend all my days giving him just that. And I pray that it'll be the same for you.
Throw away mechanical worship, and let your worship be an extension of himself through you, right back at him.
Jesus loves you so much.
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