There is a weight to the presence of God. It can be felt in passionate singing or in a waiting, pregnant silence. It can be responded to with hands raised, prostration, or silent beholding…but it can be felt.
It’s a weight that can be felt in a crowd, with one or two, or alone. But it’s where God manifests his presence in a way where you feel like you could reach out and touch him.
Of course, different church cultures can develop their own little ‘ways’ of responding, and sometimes you can feel a bit odd outside of that, especially if people respond in ways you wouldn’t normally. It can be easy to feel like you’ve ‘missed out’ because you didn’t do this or that. Or freaked out because you’d never do ‘that!’
It’s easy to fall into a place of judging how others are worshipping or responding. Do we know the heart of others? Do we know the ways of God with everyone? Are we even giving God free rein to do with us as he pleases?
I’ve spent a fair bit of time over the years feeling self-conscious about responding to God. I understand reserve, caution, fear, and intimidation. But I’ve also come to enjoy release and freedom.
If you encounter God hands-raised, dancing, swaying, clapping or with loud shouts, you go for it. It God comes with deep peace and silent presence in the depths of of your being, go for it. If you respond on your knees, on your face, or in your seat, do it with all your heart.
King David grabbing the ephod and dancing before the Lord with every move he knew how to make is a beautiful picture of breaking through the fear of judgment (and his wife Michal despised him when she saw him), but he feared the Lord more and knew when his wholehearted vigour was totally the right response.
Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom (2 Cor 3:17). But let’s be careful not to rush to judgment lest we fall into judging God’s holy dealings with his children.
Andrew S M Clark 