When Worship Smells Great!

Most of us would say that we've had some phenominal worship experiences in the last 10 years. Our family, in-laws included, love to worship. I love to worship. And as I got to worship with our brothers & sisters in Uganda--I found that I don't even need to know what the words mean to encounter God. This is good news for me.

I didn't know the tunes that my brother Vital led (a brother who fled the Congo when over 4 million people were butchered in 3 years. In fact, he left camp early due to his sister being killed!)--but God was overflowing from the hearts of the Ugandans. They swayed, they twirled, they literally danced and laughed and rejoiced in God. I watched. Amazed and inspired. My heart was so full of joy--and that was the just the first night!

Every day kept getting better and better. As I got to know their songs and they learned a few I taught--it kept getting sweeter! I learned their names--Dick, Derek, Ronald, Diane, Spike, Charles, Samuel, Ruth, Sarah--so many more, and they became real people to me. I heard their stories. I learned their slang (can I have a snap? ie, take your picture?) I heard their concerns: Students who were begging God to provide money to continue their studies, orphans begging for God to give them peace about their future, young men and women who wanted to find a "WOG/MOG" (Woman of God/Man of God) to marry someday. Overwhelming heartache and hope, joy amidst struggle...and the worship continued.

One man who came to clear the land on Saturday prior to "Faith Quest" was on his way home in the evening when he was jumped, beaten and left for dead. A few days later--he was jumping up and down in praise on his one good foot. I didn't even know that he was injured until Jeff Cash--my missionary friend--told me who he was! I was speechless. What would I have been doing after being beaten like that?

As I observed them sing to God, worship was far from routine. It was alive with God--dynamic, celebrative and joyful. I'm just jabbering on here struggling with trying to describe an aroma with words. That's it--a sweet aroma that I got to enjoy. I really want to share that aroma with all of you. Perhaps what I really mean is that I want God to enrich your worship today. Whether when you're alone with Christ or with your church--may your worship be full of the presence of God!