Worship is Like Monday Morning
Finding God within the normalcy of everyday life
From a Christian perspective, when I say the word ‘worship’ what immediately comes to mind? Music? Singing? Songs? Sunday? Worship teams? Lights? Auditoriums? Professional musicians? Set lists? Worship practice? By no means is this list exhaustive, but I think it would be safe to assume that when many of us reflect on the term ‘worship’ these are some of the first things we think of.
However, what are the ramifications of defining worship almost exclusively along these lines?
If worship, for the vast majority of us at least, is inextricably linked with what happens on Sunday, what do we do on Monday?
Waking Up Monday
For most of us, Monday mornings will not be accented by worship bands, bright lights and auditoriums. As a result, if we come to define worship exclusively with what happens on Sunday morning we will have no reference point to connect worship with what happens on Monday morning.
For many of us, Sunday consists of church, music, singing and preaching. Monday, on the other hand, is about rising early, making breakfast, packing lunches, picking out clothes, school buses, long commutes, work, stress, picking up groceries, dinner, homework, laundry and late night TV.
No worship bands. No music (maybe in the car). No bright stage lights. No auditoriums. No singing (maybe in the shower).
So, what do we do on Monday morning? How do we reference worship in the normalcy of Monday morning?
Worship and Monday
For far too long, we have been conditioned to see worship and the Sunday morning church service as one and the same. The connection between worship and music is even more intimate.
I'm not for a moment saying that worship doesn't ever include music and singing, of course it does. But, it extends far beyond that too.
A number of years ago I purchased a book from Graham Kendrick entitled, Learning to Worship as a Way of Life. Even if I didn't crack the cover, the most important lesson I could have learned was right in front of me. The title caused me to see Monday morning in a completely different light. Worship, while creating space for congregational music and singing, also moved beyond it. Worship was now moving into Monday.
Worship is a Way of Life
Worship includes music, but transcends music.
Worship happens on Sunday morning and Monday morning.
Worship happens.
Worship is.
Worship is waking up and saying - ‘thank you, God.'
Worship is the realization that I'm alive to live another day.
Worship is kissing your spouse.
Worship is saying ‘good morning!’
Worship is waking up the kids.
Worship is making breakfast.
Worship is ironing clothes.
Worship is commuting.
Worship is working.
Worship is filling the car with gas.
Worship is picking up groceries.
Worship is saying ‘hello’ and ‘thank you’ to the cashier (even when they're grumpy).
Worship is making dinner.
Worship is washing dishes.
Worship is doing laundry.
Worship is tucking the kids in at night.
Worship is climbing into bed.
Worship is kissing your spouse good night.
Worship is saying 'thank you, God' as you close your eyes.
Worship happens.
Worship is.
Worship is life - all of life. The way we talk, the way we breathe, the way we sleep, the way we work, the way we play, the way we love.
Worship is all of life. The way we talk, the way we work, the way we play, the way we love. Click To TweetWorship is.
Worship is about being and doing.
Worship is a way of life.
Worship and the Mundane
Worship should define the mundane. Worship happens in the normal. Worship is normal.
Finding God at the Breakfast Table
Maybe, as Joyce Rupp once said, we need to find God "at the breakfast table" - within the normalcy of the everyday.
We need to redefine and enlarge how we see worship and extend its parameters to include everything we are and everything we do. If we do not, we will worship only on Sunday morning. And, every other thing we do and see and touch will be something other than worship.
However, worship is like Monday morning.
And, Tuesday morning.
And, Wednesday morning.
And, Thursday morning.
And, Friday morning.
And, Saturday morning.
And, Sunday morning.
Worship happens.
Worship is.
Worship is life - all of life. Every moment of every day - we worship.
We give our entire lives over to God and live. We allow God to live through us, to speak through us, to act through us, and to be. And, when we do, we worship.
We are serving, loving, helping, hoping, thanking, caring, living.
We will never be closer to God than when we worship. And, we will never be closer to God than when we see worship as a way of life.
Worship is like Monday morning. Worship happens. Worship is.
Monday Morning Prayer
May you see the Divine in the daily.
May you find the sacred in the slog.
The Holy in the human.
The Christ in the common.
- Rob Bell
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