Chapter Four: The Whole Christ

Chapter Two: The Otherness of God

Reflections:

Check out the definition of the word "otherness," here.  It's amazing to me that the word otherness is a noun, God is unique.  There is none other like Him.  Check out the lyrics to the song "Indescribable."  After reading this chapter try to approach this song differently.  We are singing to and about a God who is truly indescribable.  Below, I've pulled out some great quotes from this chapter for reflection.

"Worship thrives on wonder."  

"Sometimes in the Church we find ourselves doing the total opposite-we take the extraordinary revelation of God and somehow manage to make Him sound completely ordinary!  We fail to communicate the sense of God's otherness."

"Left to ourselves we tend immediately to reduce God to manageable terms." (A.W. Tozer)

"Sometimes in the Church, I worry that we've settled for "goldfish bowl" worship.  We convey a tame and domesticated God, and then find ourselves stuck in the endless pursuit of the ordinary."

"Reverance for God must find its way into even the smallest details of our lives."

Questions:

1.  As worship leaders, how might we help to communicate the "otherness" of God?

2.  Do you ever feel like you've settled for "goldfish bowl" worship?

3.  Have you ever had a time when you we're ever "lost" in wonder?

Chapter One: Facedown

I hope you've found chapter one, of Matt Redman's book "Facedown," to be insightful and challenging. I love the fact that Redman, in a few short pages, captures the essence and communicates the necessity of facedown worship. Well, below you'll find some thoughts and reflections from chapter one and also a question, as I promised, to respond to.

Reflections:
"When we face up to the glory of God, we soon find ourselves facedown in worship."

"Each time we gather together, we don't just journey to a church building-we journey to the very throne of God."

"Good people bring good things out of the good stored up in their heart, and evil people bring evil things out of the evil stored up in their heart. For out of the overflow of the heart the mouth speaks."
-Luke 6:45 (TNIV)

"Every posture in worship says something of both the worshipper and the One being gloried in. The raising of hands tells of a soul stretched out high in praise and the worth of the One being exalted. Joyful dancing interprets a grateful heart and points in adoration to the source of that joy. When it comes to expressing our worship, what we do on the outside is a key reflection of what's taking place on the inside."

Questions:
1. How does this apply to us both personally and corporately?
2. Why is raising our hands in worship seem easier than bowing ourselves in humble reverence?

Put it in Action:
Sometime this week I would encourage you try facedown worship. You could take this posture on during your personal prayer time or during a time of corporate worship. It might be hard at first, but take it one step at a time. As Redman says, "To worship facedown is the ultimate outward sign of inner reverence."

blessings,
Matt