Unquenchable Worshipper

Just recently I read a book by Matt Redman called "The Unquenchable Worshipper". I thought I'd share a few thoughts from it.

“Worship is meant to be an encounter and exciting meeting place where love is given and received in an unscripted manner”

One thought that stood out to me while reading the first chapter of The Unquenchable Worshipper. It says

“Enter the unquenchable worshipper. This world is full of fragile loves-love that abandons, love that fades, love that divorces, love that is self-seeking. But the unquenchable worshipper is different. From a heart so amazed by God and His wonders burns a love that will not be extinguished. It survives any situation and lives through any circumstance. It will not allow itself to be quenched, for that would heap insult on the love it lives in response to.”

At the very beginning of this book, it got my attention. Helping me understand that the passion I should have for Jesus should not be able to be extinguished. While reading the Chris Tomlin book "The Way I Was Made" a few years back, I still remember one quote that said “when you’re worshipping God, you will risk looking uncool”. David danced in his palace, throwing aside his image, yet he was praising God! Nothing else mattered.

I really related to what Matt had to say about being an undone worshipper and talking about his tendonitis being a reminder of Christ. I too have tendonitis so I can see how much of an annoyance it can be, but like Matt, whenever it starts to hurt, it causes me to pray to God and ask Him for strength. It’s as if God is using that to provide a complete dependency on Him, something I know He deserves. Many times I’ve asked God why I’ve felt a calling so strong to be in music ministry in some ways, and yet felt the pain in my wrists. All along these thoughts, God was using this to break me down, to give Him complete control of my life. During this time, things ‘weren’t going my way’ and I wrote this…

Broken…I run to you

On my hands and knees I bow

Facedown…in awe of You

Surrendering my life

So who am I, that You love me?

So who am I, that You died for me?

I Give it all to You, my hands and feet are yours

I Give it all to You, all my life, take over

Humbled…by Your grace

By Your mercy and Your love

Thirsting…for more of You

An unquenchable desire

In the chapter about the unstoppable worshipper, there were many examples used by Matt. One being david and goliath. David, being small and just a boy, took on Goliath, a really tall big man, and in doing so, did not let Goliath hinder his worship to God. Paul didn’t either. In prison, asking for more boldness to preach the gospel, the very reason he was sitting there. Finally, Jesus, not letting the cross get in the way of His worship to His Father. We all have our ‘goliaths’ in our lives that we need to overcome. God gives us the strength to overcome trials so we can bring Him worship. This cycle seems to make God conceited. However, He isn’t. Sam Storms says “Christ’s self love is the most loving thing imaginable. He wants us to love Him so He gives us the most amazing thing imaginable: Himself. Giving us anything less would make Him conceited, however He’s loving us pre-eminently by not withholding more amazing things”.

The chapter on the ‘unnoticed worshipper’ clarified a lot of things. Mainly bringing to importance of invisibility on stage. Chris Tomlin stated something along the lines of ‘we are merely there to provide a way for people to worship their God’. However, Redman doesn’t only refer to being on stage and being a distraction, but also our heart offstage. How do we react when someone else is leading that’s not quite ‘our’ style? Do we put in our whole heart? Pride is a BIG issue when it comes to being a worshipper, because we don’t have anything to do with the worship.

God has his ways of speaking to each and everyone of us. He has his ways of showing us that He loves us. He has is ways of bringing Himself the ultimate glory He could receive. Be happy you are a part of His plan.

All for HIS glory!