Blindfold Worship

"What's this? Why do we have these?" TK asked flipping around a yellow piece of cloth. Everyone in the theater had one, including the band onstage.

I smiled. I've been hanging around this block long enough to know what was in store for us: blindfold worship.

The yellow pieces of cloth were blindfolds to be wrapped around our heads for the next hour as we worshipped the Lord corporately yet individually.

The idea with blindfold worship is that you are free to worship the Lord however you desire. Dancing, standing, kneeling, lying on your face, sitting, spinning in circles... No one would judge you because no one would see you.

I came in late and through the side door, so I didn't get a blindfold. I didn't fret about it because I usually worship with my eyes closed anyway. I did notice with everyone else's eyes closed too, I worshipped more freely.

I signed larger, I danced openly (and awkwardly), I sang in Spanish (ok, blindfolds didn't hide that). By the end of the night, I was on my knees with both hands stretched into the air as I offered myself to the Lord.

It made me wonder what other aspects of worship would look like if we did them while wearing blindfolds.

I don't mean how much soup would we spill if we tried to serve in a soup kitchen while wearing a blindfold.

Rather, what if we served and no one saw? What if we invested in someone without expecting anything in return? What if we encouraged people privately? What if we gave food to a homeless person without telling anyone?

What would the world look like if we worshipped with blindfolds?

What if we worshipped God in an uncontainable, uncontrollable, unseen way?

How would you sing praises to God if no one was listening?

How would you worship if no one was watching?

It doesn't matter if they are or not because worship is for the Lord not the people around you.

I realized the more I danced before the Lord, the more I wanted to dance. It started out as gentle swaying and ended up with me jumping, swinging my arms through the air, and goodness I'm glad no one but the Lord saw me embarrass myself like that.

But it wasn't embarrassing. It was worship. It was private God-Katie time.

And even if they had seen, their opinion shouldn't matter. When you've been accepted, been called a daughter (or son) by the Creator of the universe, why do you need the acceptance of man?

Spend some time with your Father today. Worship Him as if every around you was blindfolded, like no one is watching. Sing loudly and off key. Do not be ashamed of your joyful noise because it's beautiful to the Lord. Let your passion for Him radiate.

If you can do it when everyone else is blindfolded, you'll learn to genuinely, shamelessly worship when people are watching.

It starts with me.

<>< Katie