Backing up our words

The Pathway had a worship service yesterday afternoon and Kelli and I were challenged to practice what we preach in an unexpected way. God has really taught us a lot about what a worship service is supposed to be. It's not hard or complicated but for us it is profound. A worship service is actually about worshipping God. It's not about good preaching, what we can "get" or even "give" at the service, it's truly just about lifting God on high and praising him for being God.

Kelli and I know that The Pathway as a whole, and our worship service specifically, is not dependent on us but at times God gives us a chance to show him that we really believe that. We were expecting more kids and families than usual yesterday simply because of how God has been working. Kelli and Laura had really been working hard on our kids program and it was Kelli's week to lead. They were really looking at our kids program... Kidspath... to become a tool for discipling children, not just a place for "childcare." Well, we had our Community Group over to watch the Seahawks lose Sunday morning and Jagen and Rylan just got too excited. They were all riled up and they would not sleep. No nap + 4pm worship service = 2 screaming 1 year olds! I called Kelli about an hour before the service and heard the kids freaking out but she said she was still coming... she was determined not to let Satan win and she said she needed to be there for the families that were coming.

After we talked we both remembered our commitment to Jesus. Our worship services should never depend on us. We always want to let the Spirit work and move as he chooses, not based on anything we do or any plans we have made. Kelli and I decided God wanted us to trust him to take care of those kids and families without us, and that Kelli would be more effective staying home and taking care of our kids. Whether they were screaming or not, she would hit her knees and pray at 4pm for our worship service. That would be a step for us as a couple in keeping God as the object of our worship and would ensure that Satan would be defeated.

Well, our worship service came, Kelli prayed, we had one new family and 2 other kids and you know what, God was worshipped! The kids were taken care of... one even came into the worship service and showed me his sermon notes at the end. One of our other leaders stepped up and led in Kidspath, and most importantly our worship service remained about worship!

We don't get this right all the time but I know God is teaching us about true worship for a reason. As we grow it will be harder to keep this focus and flexibility but we are committed to being faithful now so that we will remain faithful later.