Impromptu Worship

One day last week my nine-year-old friend told me that I’m predictable. Ok, I accept that. No one will ever accuse me of being impulsive or call me spontaneous. But sadly, when I hear the word predictable, I think “translation: boring, dull, stodgy.”

The next day, in the pouring rain, I ran back and forth the length of my driveway with my surrogate niece who’s three. Not bad for “Predictable Paula.” There’s something to be said for those times where we forget ourselves and get lost in the thrill of the moment. What I’ve found to be just as valuable are the times I do this with personal worship.

Last Wed. night after hearing a woman’s testimony at church, I began to worship spontaneously (and silently) in response to her stories of God’s faithfulness to her and her family. This week I had other moments of spontaneous worship where the time and place permitted me to sing aloud my praises to the same God who has shown me such faithfulness. I thought about the times such worship is portrayed in scripture: when David dances before the Lord (and the kingdom) as the ark is returned to Israel; the one leper who returned to thank Jesus for his healing and fell at His feet; Mary breaking the alabaster jar to anoint Jesus before His death. When we choose to respond immediately with praise and gratitude in impromptu worship to God, we’re in very good company. And while I will probably continue to be fairly predictable, I pray that my worship never will be.