Apologies to John Lai

I had an outburst in Sunday School this week. I apologize to you John Lai. It was over the question, 'What does worship mean to you?'

I said I hated those questions and let me tell you why I feel that way.

I have found, in my experience, that questions like this are terrible. They always ask the broadest and most general topic. You will find questions like, 'What is the kingdom of God?' or 'Why is there suffering in the world?'. Things that are unanswerable and I argue, shouldn't even really be answered in this fashion (quick and dirty). Secondly, the person asking the question always knows the answer and will give you their opinion even though you don't ask for it. You will say something and they will say 'But let me tell you what it really means to worship, pray, etc...". It's so set up and I can't stand it. Ask if you want to know what I think. And I think it's inappropriate to ask a comprehension question because we cannot comprehend ourselves the grandness of these topics. You say don't put God in a box then you set up a trap for him and others.


Jesus said that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a field where a man found treasure, buried it and sold everything he had and bought the field. I don't think these questions can ever be answered the way people want. They are always describing an experience too great and beautiful to be captured with words. When I think of worship, I do think of the typical answers of giving worth to God and lifestyle and such but it's so much more than that. It's a feeling of joy, thankfulness and beauty. I often think Jesus used stories and parables because there is no description for the things of heaven, only loose parallels and reflections. It's like trying to describe the morning mist over the mountains at 5 am on a cold day. You can try to imagine it for yourself but it's so much greater and more beautiful that I can describe. You have to experience it. You have to wake up at 5 to see it.

So don't say that worship is a lifestyle. Don't cage our sacred experiences. Use a story or song or sense to draw out the beauty and depth that is experiencing the goodness and fear of the almighty God.