This morning I needed to get to a location I wasn't 100% sure how to get to so I asked Siri to give me  directions. At first, things were going good, but then something went haywire and Siri started leading me to the wrong location. I knew the general vicinity of where I needed to be so it soon became obvious that I was being led away from that area. So I backtracked to the point where I knew I was close to my desired location and began to carefully survey the area around me, seeking out familiar landmarks to guide me. Eventually, I arrived at my destination.

As I was thinking back over my morning, I was reminded how easy it would be to veer from the course in our Christian walk if we begin listening to voices that are leading us in the wrong direction. Oh, at first it may not appear to be doing that, but a small change in direction here, a small change there, and soon we will be far from where we need to be. There is hope should we wander off course though. We can always go back to God and seek His direction and get back on course. I'm thankful for that because I know there are times when I have messed up and it had me heading slightly off course. Had I not taken notice and adjusted the route I was on, I could have strayed far from God. I never want to get to that place. So how can we stay on the right path? Spend time with God. Pray. Meditate His Word (the Bible). This helps us learn to recognize his voice. And when we recognize His voice we won't easily be led astray by another voice.

Years ago I had a worship leader who gave our worship team a survey. He asked the question, "If you had to sing from behind a wall or curtain, would it bother you?" Well, that's as close as I can remember it being worded anyway. I did say it was years ago, right? My response to the question was that it didn't matter to me if I was on stage, behind a curtain or a wall. It wasn't about me being seen. Being on the team was about worshipping God and uplifting His name in praise. Truthfully, hiding behind a wall would have been more comfortable for me at that time. I would have felt more free to be myself and worship in a way I would have liked to.

Today I was thinking about something I heard a worship leader say. He said that when a person is desperate for God it can get messy. As I pondered that thought I concluded that if you're truly that desperate you wouldn't care what people thought about your worship. You would do whatever you wanted, whether it was dancing, shouting, or laying prostrate on the floor. You wouldn't care how you looked when you cried. All you'd care about was God. He would be your focus. I may not be messy at every service, but I certainly want to express myself freely. And I'm glad that I am at a church that allows that freedom in worship.