“Oh, blessed be God of Zion, First Citizen of Jerusalem! Hallelujah!” Psalm 135.21
For most of our lives, church was a morgue where people go for a little quietness and peace. Last night I was part of a group making big noise to a big God. The sounds were loud, driving, and intensely focused on God. We danced, we screamed, we sang, and we emotionally emptied ourselves of every positive expression towards our awesome and mysterious God. It was fun!
As a child, I always found myself pushing the edges, struggling to find the right statement, and hoping to come alive with God. I wanted desperately to experience something with God. Overtime the something became a desire for anything – rejection, anger, frustration, hope or joy. I found myself talking about God instead of to him. I found myself leading worship where people could see God at a distance. I knew there was more, however I had no idea of what the boundaries could or should be. It was as if I wanted to go on a date but never got the courage or even knew that I could actually talk to the girl!
Ed, Duncan, and the rest of the Slug and Lettuce crowd changed all that. They worship God with abandon. They are not ashamed of their walk or failings. They express their open desire to know more. Because of them and the rest of the family, I rediscovered a real God who deals with us as we are today. I found a God who loves us unconditionally in our current state and revels in every expression of love, hope, and fear we express.
I want to share a lesson with you because I hope you can bypass my learning experience. Do not worry about the form of your expression – just enjoy the open dialogue with God. There is nothing to hide or fear from God, he knows everything and is resolute in His reaction to it. God knows every flaw, weakness, and failure. God knows and loves you intensely. That’s His statement.
