More Than Anything...

Yesterday was one of the most beautiful days I've had in a long time. What made it beautiful? (I'm glad you asked!) The move of God in worship, time spent with my hubby-to-be, and the love of my family. I want to highlight the move of God in worship, for I believe that experience set the stage for the remainder of the day.

I have been talking with my pastor lately about the nature of worship. We've got it twisted in the church today. We come for a quick fix, a boost of Jesus if you will, to make us feel good. We raise hell for 166 hours during the week and then weep before God for 2 hours on Sunday and think that is sufficient. We come to church to network and socialize, to see and be seen. But if we were to examine what worship is all about, it has absolutely nothing to do with us. Yes, we are participants, but worship is about giving total adoration and love to God. It doesn't matter whether we feel good or not. What matters is that God is pleased and that our worship is authentic. Authentic worship means giving God your all, your very best, whatever it may be at that moment.

And so, in worship on Sunday, I was moved when the Rejoice Singers began to sing "More Than Anything." The lyrics go like this:

I lift my hands in total adoration unto You
You reign on the throne for You are God and God alone
Because of You my cloudy days are gone
I can sing to You this song
I just want to say that I love You more than anything

Love me in Your Arms
You were my shelter from the storm
When all my friends were gone
You were right there all along
I never knew a love like this before, Oh
I just want to say that I love You more than anything

Here is the part in the song when there was a shift in my heart. Up until this point, the song had been about me. Though guised as being all about God, the first two stanzas highlight the way God moves on my cloudy days, in my storms, and in my loneliness. It sounds good, but to me it reads...God I love you because you got ME through, God I love you because of what you do for ME. But what about loving God simply because of who God is. God is awesome and worthy of our total adoration. Don't be fooled. I'm not one of those folks running around saying, "If God never does another thing for me I'll be satisfied." I guess I'm just not that mature of a Christian yet. But I do recognize that love for God, that my worship and adoration, must be steeped in who God is—holy, beautiful, majestic, wonderful, loving, merciful, and compassionate (this is just a start).

I Love You Jesus
I worship and adore You
Just want to tell
Lord, I Love You more than anything

I am the first to admit, I love a good reprise. That is the point when the song gets good. That is the point when it ceases being a song and becomes true worship. The music was fading out and the Rejoice Singers were just about take their seats when Rev. Lamont Granby got up in the pulpit and stirred us up again. Where there had been a shift in my heart moments prior, there was a shift in the atmosphere. See, Rev. Granby (by modeling it) caused us to think about the words that we sing. Lord, I love you more than anything. Anything. More than the house I live in. Anything. More than the car I drive. Anything. More than the position I hold. Anything.

The question I ponder, and the one I would ask you to think about it, "Do I love the Lord more than anything?"

Let me make it personal for a moment..."Lord, I love you more than anything." Anything. More than the degree I just received? Anything. More than my new job as Assistant to Pastor at the church? Anything. More than the man that is to be my husband in 3 days, 5 hours, and 43 minutes. Anything. Yes Lord, I love you more than anything...

So the answer is "yes." Well Donna, I dare you to probe a little further and ask yourself, "Do I demonstrate this love to God or do I allow other things to take priority in my life?" Here is where I can be and do better. Over the coming days, weeks, and months I will be asking this question and finding ways to demonstrate my "more than anything kind of love" for God.

Won't you meditate on this song and join me as we seek to shower God will the kind of love and adoration that God deserves?