Church is getting weird and I think I love it!
Things are changing in worship. If you would have told me a few years ago that people prostrating themselves in the front of the church would become a normal way in which we worshipped I might have been skeptical. If you would have told be that the waving of flags during worship would also become a normal part of worship I think I would have been even more surprised. Yet, this is something which God is doing in our midst.
I believe that the scriptures give us the freedom to use these “visual aids” in our worship. The Bible refers to the word flag as “standard” or “banner.” The Hebrew word degel is translated as, a flag or banner or standard. Degel comes from the Hebrew root word dagal, meaning to flaunt, i.e. raise a flag; to be conspicuous, setting up with banners. Standard is defined as a banner used as an emblem, marker or rallying point; an ensign; military or personal flag. In the Old Testament, God commands Moses to instruct the children of Israel to camp by their own “standard” to signify their tribe. (Num. 2:2) There were 12 different flags or banners for the 12 tribes. (Num. 1:52, 2:2-3, 10, 18, 25; 10:14, 18, 22, 25) Banner is defined as a flag or cloth standard. It is used figuratively to define one of God’s names, Jehovah Nissi, the Lord is my banner! God’s salvation and truth is declared by the raising of the banners, Ps. 20:5, Ps. 60:4. He is a banner of love and protection described in Song. 2:4 and reigns with great power, Song. 6:4, 10. He is standard and He is calling us to lift up a standard, declare and proclaim it to the entire world. (Isa. 5:26, 11:12, 13:2; Jer. 50:2)
So while on one hand worship is “weirder” than it used to be - I believe it is something that God is doing in our midst. I believe that God is preparing us to receive a more powerful anointing in our worship than we have ever experienced before. He is stretching us, he is setting our hearts free to openly declare our affections without reservation. May Jesus receive the glory that His name is due and may He find that at Lamb there is a passionate desire to enthrone Him on our praises!