Forever Worship...

I was driving to a meeting yesterday.  One of my favorite songs came on the radio—a song that I know well enough to turn up the volume and sing at the top of my lungs to!  I must say, I had a genuine time of "worship" while driving.  This isn't the first time this has happened.  I'm guessing there are others out there who have experienced worship in a car like this. 

The song that played was "I Can Only Imagine," by Mercy Me.  Here's one of the verses:

I can only imagine
When all I will do
Is forever
Forever worship You.

This song speaks of the longing for heaven, a desire to be there and be in the presence of our Lord and Savior, with no other distractions.  As the old hymn line goes:  "What a day of rejoicing that will be!"

After the song finished on the radio, with my voice slightly hoarse from singing so loud, I found myself thinking about the specific lyric mentioned above.  And I found myself asking, "Why do I have to wait to 'forever worship' till I get to heaven?!?!" 

Maybe some of this reflecting is due to the fact that I'm taking Theology and Practice of Worship in my final semester at George Fox Evangelical Seminary.  I'm convinced that worship is soooo much more than what we do (i.e. singing) before the sermon on a Sunday morning.  Our entire lives are worship.  How we interact with other people is worship.  How we play is worship.  When we see a beautiful sunset, we are worshiping.  When we are brought to tears in a good movie, it is worship!  Everything we say and do, when done for God's glory, IS worship. 

So do I have to wait until heaven for "forever worship?"  In my mind's understanding of worship, the answer is "NO!"  I'm already forever worshiping!!  Whether I'm singing at the top of my lungs in my car, or feeding our friends without homes downtown, or sitting in a finance committee meeting...I AM WORSHIPING!!! 

What a thought! 

Lord—help me "forever worship" You well today, by Your power, for Your glory!  Amen...