Popcorn Praises

I sat with the people.
I was thinking about what I had just learned about the audience.
So many times, we think that the audience is us.
How wrong we are.

I had many things to learn.
We do not come to be entertained.
We come to participate, to be the actors in this play of life.
We sit all together but we all come from different backgrounds and places.

The leader was up in front.
A humble man giving directions as to the order of service.
He knew the true audience.
He was focusing our attention where our attention needed to be.

He spoke about antiphonal worship.
That is when the leader reads a portion of a Psalm and the congregation answers.
It is something I have only been a part of a handful of times.
This antiphony blessed my heart.

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good, for His steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the God of gods, for His steadfast love endures forever. Give thanks to the Lord of lords, for His steadfast love endures forever. To Him who alone does great wonders, for His steadfast love endures forever. To Him who by understanding made the heavens, for His steadfast love endures forever. To Him who spread out the earth above the waters, for His steadfast love endures forever. To Him who made the great lights, for His steadfast love endures forever. The sun to rule over the day, for His steadfast love endures forever. The moon and stars to rule over the night. His steadfast love endures forever. (Psalm 136:1-9)

And so it was repeated, over and over until it was firmly in my head.
His steadfast love endures forever.
An antiphonal reading of Psalm 136, in its entirety, all twenty-six verses.
And the refrain would not leave me.

After a while, the refrain traveled from my head to my heart.
After a while, the refrain planted itself there.
I could feel the refrain take root.
I had read that refrain hundreds of times before, but this time it was different.

This time it was a call that demanded a response.
This call was a declaration of God’s goodness and majesty.
This time it was verse after verse declaring God’s worth.
This is the whole meaning of worship: it is truly WORTH-ship.

Then the leader suggested that the psalm be personalized.
Randomly, throughout the congregation, we were encouraged to proclaim God’s worth.
The response of the rest of us was simply and profoundly the refrain.
His steadfast love endures forever.

I sat and listened.
I expected personal things to have been called out, things that only God would understand.
I was so very wrong.
What began to happen was that God’s Word was spoken back to Him.

The truth of His Word was spoken over and over.
The response to the call was simply and profoundly the refrain.
The refrain that had taken root.
His steadfast love endures forever.

Years ago, when I taught Sunday school, I taught the children about prayer.
I told them that prayer was simply talking to God.
Since prayer is a conversation, it consists of talking and listening.
We tend to be one-sided in our prayers and often fail to listen to God speaking to us.

I taught the children about popcorn prayers.
I wanted them to imagine their prayers as kernels of corn that are popping up.
I wanted them to imagine their prayers popping up here and there.
I wanted them to see their prayers lifted up to their Heavenly Father.

The children understood the image of popcorn prayers.
They understood that their prayers could be quick yet continuous.
They understood that their prayers could be short or long.
They knew this was a way to pray without ceasing.

As I sat among the people, I realized that I was witnessing popcorn praises.
Short praises and long praises popping up to the Father.
Popcorn praises where God’s Word was prayed back to Him.
Popcorn praises that demanded a response.

His steadfast love endures forever.

Can you imagine what your day would be like is you spent it in popcorn praise?
Think about all the things you would notice, if you spent the day totally aware.
Imagine the things you would not miss if you were intentional in your search.
Imagine your change of perspective that will inevitably be contagious to others.

Thank you for the gorgeous fall colors I see all around me.
His steadfast love endures forever.
Thank you for the chill that is in the air.
His steadfast love endures forever.

Thank you that I saw where the squirrels are hiding the walnuts from our front lawn.
His steadfast love endures forever.
Thank you for the amazing night sky.
His steadfast love endures forever.

Thank you for my precious family.
His steadfast love endures forever.
Thank you for the friends You have given me.
His steadfast love endures forever.

Thank you for quiet moments in my day.
His steadfast love endures forever.
Thank you for the joyful noise of children.
His steadfast love endures forever.

And on and on it goes.
Popcorn praises to the One who is the Giver of all good gifts.
Popcorn praises that are unique to you and your circumstances.
Imagine the din of praise our Heavenly Father would hear.

That was what I was forgetting.
I was forgetting about the audience.
I was forgetting that the audience is not us.
The audience is HIM.

He is the audience of One that we worship.
He is the audience of One that we praise.
He is worthy of all glory and honor.
He is good.

His steadfast love endures forever.
That is a refrain worth repeating.