Posted By: Clive Price
Posted On: 08:10:44 19th Sep 2008My eldest son has just returned from Australia. And he brought back a boomerang. Immediately I said, 'Oh great - I can go out and throw this on the field!' But I looked at the hand-painted aboriginal artwork and added, 'On second thoughts, throwing it around would spoil the look of it'. So the boomerang is sitting on the dining table, not anywhere near being put to its intended use.

So far as I know, boomerangs were weapons, used in hunting and fighting. They were probably also used as musical instruments, to strike a beat, like a drumstick. It's my guess they were never really meant to be just put on display as ornaments, so the upper-middle-class suburban hip crowd could boast about their 'aboriginal artwork' on display in the front room next to their limited edition Joni Mitchell albums.

Have we treated worship like that? Have we sanitised praise and removed all the rough edges so that it sits proudly in our churches like a beautiful ornament? Has our drive for smooth, polished excellence taken away that pioneering spirit, the freedom to make mistakes - and the urgent need to bridge the treacherous chasm between God and humanity?

In the Old Testament, worship was a weapon. Have we made it into a trinket?


If you'd like to have your say and post your own comments, please login using the menu on the left.

That's a good way of putting it. I must remember that. We are having some interesting chats at our small group. I want to get across the message that the choice we have to make is between ideology and theology. Do we want a reasonable religious life with all the trimmings – or do we want engagement with God? Posted by:  Clive Price 08:26:29 27th Sep 2008

Your home study group touches on a critical yet understated truth, Clive. The New Testament can be rationalized to nothing but another nice-sounding idea without the precisely historical, beautifully poetic, and unparalleled prophetic foundation of the Old Testament. An excellent way to gain a proper perspective on the Old Testament is to consider every word that Jesus has to say about it and its message. I’ve heard it said that “The Old Testament is the New Testament concealed, and the New Testament is the Old Testament revealed.” Posted by:  Anthony Ticknor 09:47:06 24th Sep 2008

Quite simply.......YES and AMEN. Posted by:  steven barr 07:03:29 24th Sep 2008

At our housegroup last night we talked about how the Old Testament can shed light on the New. The saying from Micah that you quote, nearly sums up the key requirements for leading a godly, worshipful life. We need to keep it simple like that. Posted by:  Clive Price 12:01:22 23rd Sep 2008

Sure is! And check this out: "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10) How do we discern the good works God has prepared for us to do? It seems to me that the things Jesus says in John 3:19-21 can help: "This is the verdict: Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness instead of light because their deeds were evil. Everyone who does evil hates the light, and will not come into the light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God." "He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." (Micah 6:8) Posted by:  Anthony Ticknor 11:54:05 23rd Sep 2008

According to Romans 12, part of our 'spiritual act of worship' is overcoming evil with good. That's a 'smart' weapon! Posted by:  Clive Price 11:46:54 22nd Sep 2008

Good questions, Clive. I'm curious - of what material is the boomerang made? Hard to tell, I suppose, with the paint concealing it. Our worship may seem nice to us at times, but of what is our worship made? I imagine that a well made boomerang in the hands of a skillful hunter is a very effective tool, accomplishing the purpose for which the hunter sent it. But if I understand boomerangs correctly, a boomerang returns to the hunter only if he misses his target. Unlike the boomerang, we know God's Word does not return to Him without accomplishing the purpose for which He sends it (Isaiah 55:11). Perhaps if our effort to worship our Creator in spirit and in truth remains focused on His Word and on doing what He commands, we would become increasingly effective in bearing faithful witness to what God has revealed to us – the good news of Jesus Christ! Better than a painted boomerang! Indeed, the good news is that the treacherous chasm between God and humanity is already bridged. Thank you, Lord Jesus! Posted by:  Anthony Ticknor 20:53:31 19th Sep 2008

I can't speak for all churches clive. But I know we make mistakes, both musical ans lyrical, and have on many occasion used worship as a weapon to bring down spiritual walls, as well as to bring healing, to always glorify God through our risen savior, to sit and listen to what God has to speak to your heart, and to encourage and edify each other. We have never had so much money as to go down the route of flashing lights and stages, with all it's possible, worship performance dangers. This is something we are greatful for. Don't get me wrong, there's nothing wrong with the bling, and we have grown to expect it at large conferences and gatherings. Sundays however; our regular fellowship gathering, needs in my humble view a more personal touch, with no fear of silence and allowing God to move. When covering for our lead worshiper on his holidays, I often lead with just an acoustic guitar, and my wife and I on vocals, no frills, guess what......God still turns up, so I have no fear of silence when it is Holy, or noise if it is annointed. Blessings, Steven. Posted by:  steven barr 15:46:35 19th Sep 2008