Tuesday, 30 July 2013

Tehillah? What is that?

Since beginning the Tehillah: Jordan Crossing worship nights at Agape Life Center Church here in Vancouver, people have wondered about the name. I was perusing some different worship websites when I came across some lists of the Hebrew and Greek words translated as "worship" or "praise" in English. At www.justworship.com, the following is their contribution:

Tehillah-to sing hallal, a new song, a hymn of spontaneous praise glorifying God in song
Psalm 34:1 I will bless the Lord at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth.

Psalm 40:3 He has put a new song in my mouth -- praise to our God; Many will see it and fear, and will trust in the Lord.
Psalm 149:1 Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song, and his praise in the assembly of saints.

When I read this, my spirit leaped because the "spontaneous" praise or worship is something for which we are becoming known. As the Spirit leads me or whoever is leading the worship time, much of our time is given over to allowing each individual to express his or her own praise/worship to the Lord. Many times it feels like the prepared songs we sing are only launching pads for the "real" expression of our love and adoration. In these new songs, I find that I am carried even further in and higher up into the Presence as each individual passionately pours out their alabaster jars of love because there is something that they contribute that I cannot.


When I come into the Presence, when we enter the Presence together, as the pure, spotless Bride, we cannot help but be affected, changed, renewed. As we come into the Presence, we are crossing over into the Promised Land, flowing with milk and honey - our home. I believe that when we purposefully seek the Father's face, seek the Presence - whatever that looks like, we cross our Jordan rivers - that which divides us from Him - and come into the fullness of life in Christ - the Promised Land.

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