Worship Like a Child

For the past several years, (A) and I have worked with upper elementary aged students at church camp.  There are lots of things I have observed over the years from this experience.  They can lose any thing at any time- no matter how valuable it is.  They aren’t always fans of taking showers.  The girls take 14x longer to change or get ready than the boys.  Their kind of homesickness always presents itself as a terrible stomachache.  They are a great age because they aren’t “too cool for school” yet, and often adults are still their heroes.  They love to play dodgeball.  Swimming is the highlight of every summer day, and WOW it is awesome to get to be a part of their worship time.

Many times I have told people that I think worship with kids is the closest glimpse we will have on Earth to what worship will be like in Heaven.  No matter what the venue is, whether I am on stage with the praise band, watching from the back, or standing in the middle of the group there is something so special about being in worship with kids.  The atmosphere is always electric.  They love having the opportunity to sing.  Last week at camp, there were even several students who asked me if they could leave recreation time to go sit in on praise team practice.

At that age, students aren’t worried about how they sound when they sing or what someone standing next to them will think.  They aren’t afraid to learn a new song and they catch on quickly because they jump right in.  They are unashamed to clap their hands, move or do some motions when they feel the upbeat tempo of a song, or raise their hands in the air when they feel the power of the words.  Elementary students don’t complain if the music isn’t the exact style they prefer, and they don’t care if you switch up the order or the tempo on them.  Their sound is raw and beautiful because it comes from a place of pure motives and genuine love to sing for the God whom they adore.  Their voices are loud and unrestrained and the energy they share often makes me choke back a tear.  Many times, in worship with elementary kids I find that I want to stop singing, just so I can listen to their voices. 

And as I listen, I can’t help but pray that I would always remember to worship with the same pure motives as a child- that I wouldn’t worry about what it sounds like, that I don’t mind if it is the style I prefer or the songs are new to me.  I want to feel unashamed to clap my hands or raise them high.  Sometimes I think there is a lot that we as adults can learn from being in worship with children. 

I don’t want to lose things like a child, I AM a fan of taking a shower, I’m not so agile at dodgeball… but WOW I want to worship like an innocent child.

“Do you hear what these children are saying?” They asked him.  “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read ‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’ ?” Matthew 21:16