Wardrobes into Worship

″‘This must be a simply enormous wardrobe!’ thought Lucy, going still further in and pushing the soft folds of the coats aside to make room for her. Then she noticed that there was something crunching under her feet. ‘I wonder is that more moth balls?’ she thought, stooping down to feel it with her hands. But instead of feeling the hard, smooth wood of the floor of the wardrobe, she felt something soft and powdery and extremely cold. ‘This is very queer,’ she said, and went on a step or two further.”

The lion, the witch and the wardrobe by CS Lewis

No one would disagree that worship is always about Jesus. When we worship we celebrate and honour God and all that he has done for us through Jesus. We reflect upon the nature and character of God and quite literally give him the worth that is due to him.

Worship is even more than that.

Worship brings us into a spiritual connection with Jesus, strengthening us and building us up. Worship impacts every area of our everyday because God has been welcomed into our lives and experiences. We can encounter his presence through worship and beyond, as he works in our lives.

Worship is like a wardrobe through which we can enter into heavenly encounters. It transports us from Planet Earth into the Throne Room of Heaven. It is the collision of Heaven and Earth in powerful communion, celebration and joy.

Worship is not a time or a place; it is not Sunday morning or a church building. It is an attitude, a posture. It is about positioning ourselves towards God in all we do. It is the attitude of the heart towards Jesus, a deliberate decision, a choice, a lifestyle.

We have different keys with which we can unlock the wardrobe to wardrobe. Worship music, singing, dancing, reading scripture, prayer, communion are obvious ones. Worship is available to every human being; whether the person sitting in a church pew with prayer beads, the pastor visiting the elderly or sick, the bus driver carrying passengers to their destinations, the shop worker assisting customers, the office manager at a computer screen, the teacher in front of a class of 5 year olds or the parent caring for children with additional needs. All these situations are opportunities to create wardrobes into worship.

Jesus replied: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’

Matthew 22:37 (NIV)

We can bring worship into every aspect of our daily lives. God invites us to worship him with every part of our lives; to worship with heart, soul, mind and not just our spirits. In return Jesus impacts and transforms us to be more like him; from one degree of glory to another and to transform the situations around us for good and for his glory.

Found in Your hands, fullness of joy Every fear suddenly wiped away here in Your Presence All of my gains now fade away Every crown no longer on display, here in Your Presence Heaven is trembling in awe of Your wonders The kings and their kingdoms are standing amazed

Here in Your Presence, we are undone Here in Your Presence, Heaven and earth become one Here in Your Presence, all things are new Here in Your Presence, everything bows before You

Wonderful, beautiful, glorious, matchless in every way

Jon Egan for New Life Worship