The Worship Arc: Reflection and Devotion
So far on our worship journey, we’ve welcomed God’s Presence, thanked Him for all of His goodness, submitted to His Spirit, and today, we move into reflecting on who He is, and re-devoting ourselves to the praise and worship of His Name. This is a precious time to simply dwell in God’s Presence, and allow His life-giving Spirit to draw out a fresh revelation of who He is. This is the space where we can reflect on all He has done for us, ask Him to remind us who He is, and then pour all of that back out in worship! It’s a time to push deeper into what God has for each of us, and for us as a united Church, too.
I’m reminded of the verse in Psalm 42 – a call to a deep devotion to worship…
“When my soul is in the dumps, I rehearse everything I know of you, from Jordan depths to Hermon heights”
(Psalm 42:6, MSG translation)
This stage in the worship arc is for exactly that – rehearsing, reflecting and meditating on God’s goodness, chewing over all of His promises and character traits, and then responding in worship and adoration. He is the God of the mountains and the valleys, always present and always worthy of our worship!
This time might most naturally come after the sermon, giving people time to think about what has been said with the help of God’s Spirit. So, how do we create a time for reflection and devotion, as we lead worship?
Song choice – songs that express different characteristics of God, express a desire for more of His Presence, those which encourage people into deeper worship
Don’t rush! This is a time for open, quiet spaces; perhaps encouraging the congregation to speak or sing out their praise to God, or ways He’s been faithful to us. Use repetitive refrains which allow the congregation to soak in God’s Spirit and rehearse His praise
Read and listen – scan the room and ask God to help you discern where to move next, and how to respond to the congregation’s response. Perhaps all that is needed is more quiet time, or repetition of a verse, or moving into a song which praises and exalts God (more on this next week!) Trust and invite God’s Spirit to lead you, as you lead others.