At our first church, we always held a New Year’s Eve singing that started around 10-ish and finished up at 11:59:45, at which time we’d count down the seconds to midnight. Then we’d pray in the New Year and adjourn to the fellowship hall to eat pancakes. I don’t remember if we called it Praise ‘n Pancakes or Glory ‘n Gluttony. Either way, it was a grand tradition.
One year, our oldest, most conservative elder, Virgil, was leading some of the singing in the pre-pancake part of our service. Virgil was the main preacher and I was his associate. He was as conservative as they come, veering neither to the left nor to the right. Well, he probably veered quite a bit to the right, but there wasn’t a mean bone in his body. He was kind, cautious, buttoned-down and a little up tight. I really loved Virgil.
At one point in the singing, something just got a hold of him. We had barely finished Glory Land Way or it might have been We’re Marching to Zion, but when the song ended, Virgil threw his hands in the air as if signaling a touchdown and shouted, “Glory to God in the highest! Hallelujah! Hallelujah!”
If I hadn’t known better, I would have thought the Lamb had opened the seventh seal, because there was stunned silence in the church for what seemed like half an hour. No one knew what to do with Virgil’s . . . outburst. His face turned red, he sat down and melted into the front pew.
When he brought the ark of God to Jerusalem in 2 Samuel 6, David had no such reservations about expressing his feelings in worship. He leaped and danced with all his might. Everyone in Israel was shouting and rejoicing with him. Except his wife, Michal. Not that she was unemotional. She felt spite in her heart. An argument ensued over what constitutes dignified worship, not the last time family members wound up on different sides of a worship war.
Worship is a dangerous thing not only because it constitutes an encounter with a Holy God (see last week’s post about Uzzah), but also because it involves unpredictable human emotions. 2 Samuel 6, in fact, is an extremely emotional chapter. There is celebration (vs. 5), anger (vs. 7, 8), wrath (vs. 8), fear (vs. 9), rejoicing (vs. 12), dancing (vs. 14), shouting (vs. 15), and spite (vs. 16).
Worship is an emotional thing. I have shed tears and shouted for joy in worship. I have felt anger and laughed till my sides hurt. I have been filled with courage and frightened. You’ve probably felt all those emotions and many more. But it’s not just our experience that confirms that worship and emotions go together. Scripture does too.
Jesus became emotional when he praised God in Luke 10:21 – “At that time Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, said, ‘I praise you Father, Lord of heaven and earth.’”
The last thing Luke tells us in his gospel (24:53), is that the disciples worshipped Jesus “and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.”
Still, like the crowd that witnessed Virgil’s emotive eruption, we’re not always very comfortable with expressive worship. Perhaps we’ve equated reverence — awe in the presence of the Holy God — with reservation. That math certainly didn’t add up for David. When confronted by Michal, he said, “I will celebrate before the Lord. I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes,” (2 Samuel 6:21-22).
Then again, perhaps we hold back our emotions – our grief, our joy – because, unlike David, we are afraid of looking undignified. Here’s a hard question: How can I be truly focused on God if I am worried about what everyone else is going to think about me?
Here’s a harder question: If I cannot shout God’s praises among believers, will I be able to even whisper his name among the scoffers?
And here’s the hardest question: If I can’t express my sorrow for sin among the people of grace, how many secrets must I keep among people who don’t know the first thing about mercy?
Uzzah shows us that when we worship, we are coming into the presence of a Holy God. David demonstrates the need for holy self-forgetfulness when we praise Him. Next week, Michal, too, will teach us something.
Amy and I were blessed to be a part of that congregation while you were there. We hated to see you leave. We were led by some fine Christian men like Virgil, Don, Jim, …..there was one other elder and I am sorry I cannot remember his name. I can see his face in my mind but just can’t come up with his name. Those New Years Eve signings were great!!!
Brother George was the fourth. A well-traveled, wise and witty gentleman.
Laughing out loud. I wish it was caught on video or I had seen this. Thank you for the memory and the reminder that celebration is what we should be doing.
You always have taught us to be generous to each other, as we individually respond to the Spirit differently. Thanks for the reminder.
I remember Virgil well; I was a teen there. My mother, my sisters & I helped start that congregation. He was our second minister. I was as surprised by this revelation as y’all were stunned! But I am delighted to learn of that event. I remember Don with love. He was my encourager. Thanks.
We all need to feel truly free to openly express our joy, love and devotion to our LORD. We are often restrained by fear of disapproval and condemnation. Nurture & develop courage. Fight fear.
Jody,
I enjoyed reading this. I’ m smiling remembering a lot more, God’s Blessings, Margie wood
I just remember how nervous he was when I led singing.
You made everyone nervous Charles.. Well except me and Glenda.
I agree with you Jody, today I am not afraid to let the Lord have his way. What I lack in a singing voice I can make up for by raising my heart and hands in praise. It seems to be contagious!
Jody, what a great reminder that we should never hold back in our love for our Lord. God has given us all a blessing as we read your encouraging words.
Marsy Thomas
Jody:.you always challenge our thinking in such great ways thank you for bringing joy to my heart and taking me to a higher level of thinking we must ALWAYS
Be exploring and studying Gods ways and not mans ways
Thank you Jody
Who were the elders that Charles Wilkes persuaded to dress like the California Raisins and dance to “I heard through the grapevine”? I think Brother Virgil Richie was one of them. He was a good sport about it. It was at a church picnic on the Arlington Campus of Greater Atlanta Christian School which had closed. Mark (Williams) Wills performed with his teenage band.
It was the same elders, Don Woods, Virgil Richie, Jim Couch and George. And it ws in the fellowship hall at Riverdale. I laughed until I cried.
In my heart I experience the emotions that you describe especially when I commune with him and remember his suffering. Virgil was one of my dad’s best friends. They were both elders and shared their love for the church. I still have a picture of him when he graduated from Lipscomb and a bible he gave to my dad
He was truly a man of God and probably of the old school but his expression of praise was one he truly felt. Many are living as dedicated Christians as a result of his and Lurlene’s example and influence.
It makes my heart happy to read your words Jody! So good to hear from you. I am blessed to be at a place in my spiritual journey to be joyful and praising the Lord with all my being! May the Lord continue to direct your path with His joy and glory!
I love this. It took courage for me to raise my hands for the first time in worship. It is definitely hard to not think about people watching you when you come from a conservative background. When I worship in my house singing with Tristan I am dancing, clapping and kicking my legs up, why is it that I am nervous to do that in corporate worship? Why is it that we teach our kids to dance and clap when worshiping in kids church but then we we go to adult church you are supposed to just stand there.
I have been to a prophetic worship service where they encourage you to worship in whatever way you are comfortable, sitting or lying down, dancing, raising your hands and even spinning flags. I loved that it was not reserved or dictated on how you should worship.
If David was a man after God’s own heart I want to be like David. I want to get wild in the church service. I always think about how people go to sports events and cheer on their teams, why is it that we aren’t cheering and jumping for joy for the one who created us and the beautiful earth. I hate when my spirit feels quenched in worship, I don’t want the rocks to cry out on my behalf. I’m praying that I can let loose this Sunday without a care in the world, worshiping the Lord with all my heart, soul and strength. Praising him that I am able to clap, sing, and dance. Shouting for joy like Israel did and blowing horns and getting crazy because he is the Great I Am! In 2 Corinthians 5:13 Paul says “If it seems we are crazy, it is to bring glory to God. And if we are in our right minds, it is for your benefit.”
Bill didn’t like New Year’s Eve as he got older so we weren’t there. Would have loved hearing something I can’t imagine Virgil doing. Loved knowing you have a blog! Give Lisa a hug