Called to worship.

As mentioned in previous posts, I watched a lot of the Hillsong conference 2013 live stream last week. While I loved all the messages and preaching, my most favorite things streamed were the songwriting masterclass and the creative 'team night'. The songwriting masterclass was hosted by Ben Fielding, Robert Fergusson, Kari Jobe, and Leeland & Jack Mooring.

In case ya'll haven't picked up on it - I love writing. It's a gift I believe God has given me and I want to use it the best way I can. So, I write... I write songs, spoken word poetry, books, blogs, and I keep at least 2 journals on the go at all times. One of my goals for this year was to steward this gift and grow in it. So I've been blogging more frequently, I have written a book (yay!!), and I've been working on my spoken word skills.

Something that was said in this masterclass really got to me though. When Kari Jobe was talking about the process of songwriting, she talked about the importance of just spending time with God to glorify Him. We shouldn't always come before God looking for a new song;  we shouldn't have an agenda when we hang out with Him.

I think there is a real importance and strength to this. Before we can aspire to be something for God, we have to simply be His. Before we can be worship leaders, before we can be songwriters and dancers and poets, before we can make movies, before the Church can return to the forefront of creativity, we have to be His sons and daughters. And that means coming before Him just as we are, with everything we have, and surrendering it all.

Don't be afraid to surrender your gift to Him. It can only grow stronger. After all - all creativity on this earth is just an expression of a creative God. 

Another thing that really spoke to me that goes right along with this idea is that God dwells where He is worshiped. Leeland Mooring said this but of course it's drawn straight from Scripture. Psalm 22:3 says "You make Your Home on the praises of Israel."

Our lives have to be built on praise for Him. I don't mean that you need to listen to praise and worship music every second, with your eyes closed and hands raised. Worship is so much more than that. If we let it, our entire life can be worship to Him. Everywhere you walk, is holy ground. Every season you're in, is holy. It is able to be used by Him, for Him.

Romans 12:1 in The Message translation says "so here's what I want you to do, God helping you: take your everyday, ordinary life - your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life - and place it before God as an offering."

We're called to be worshipers. Our entire life is worship when we surrender it to Him. And when we do that, when we live surrendered, He dwells within us. He goes where we go. We carry His Spirit and presence with us.

This week - be His. Let go of your agenda. Just worship Him. Give Him your desire to write new songs. Give Him the ideas you have and see what He does. Stop pursuing creativity and start pursuing Him - He will stir it up within you. Take time to be married to Him. Take time to get to know Him. Let your entire life be an act of worship. He will dwell there.