I had a conversation last night with a friend and at some point we got on the topic of the different ways in which different people worship (in a collective setting) and how other people are not always accepting of that. I said something about how usually the "old farts" are the ones who get cranky about the way the younger people act during worship. And by "old farts" I specifically mean those older people who are so dead-set in the way they've always done something that they refuse to see the good in a new way of doing something; NOT just older people in general because there are plenty of wonderful and completely godly older people around. Anyway, today I was thinking a little more about all of this, and I look at it in this way. Different people, often categorized by their generation or age group, often approach God and worship God in different ways. Like way back in the day, say the early 1900 and even much later than that, the whole idea of church and worship was centered around being solemn and reverent. Jumping forward to my generation, the modern concept of worship is often with a band containing drums, electric guitar, electric bass, and so on, and often involves singing, the raising of hands, and even jumping around in some cases. I doubt very seriously that the people of the 1900s could have even imagined that to be worship. Yet both time periods were able to worship in their own way. [I would like to announce that I have no idea what my point is. I'm just writing till I find out!] One generation understood that God is to be reverenced and revered, yet failed to see that it is perfectly fine to get excited about the things of God as well. My generation, on the other hand, understands the getting excited part, yet I believe may often fall short in the reverence area. The true problem comes when a generation thinks their way is the best and that they "have it all figured out." The truth is we all have our strong points and our weak points. We should never think we are the group that has "arrived" at the perfect form of worship. Furthermore, the truth is worship is a state of the heart, and although what we do with our physical bodies during worship is somewhat important, we are commanded to worship God in spirit and in truth; not in body and in perfect form. My challenge to all of you as well as to myself is to worship God in the right spirit rather than simply conforming to the most popular "worship trend." And secondly, to be accepting of the next wave of worshippers that come along (and for that matter, the ones of the past generations, as well) because there may be something very valuable in their form of worship that is lacking in ours. I believe I've found my point, so I'll stop while I'm ahead! Later.