Chapel is a gift.
It is a beautiful time in the busy school week when we as a student body are given the chance to pause, slow down, and spend time with God in worship and prayer. We are so privileged to be able to worship God freely, as many schools in the Chattanooga area are not. Chapel is a time when we lift our voices in praise and quiet our hearts in prayer, inviting God’s Presence to dwell with us and bind us together as a school community.
I believe God smiles down from the Heavens at the sight of His people praising Him.
Lift up your voice, lift up your hearts to the Lord! Make a joyful noise to the Lord in song! It is a time to not think about anyone around you, or whether or not they will hear your voice when you sing, just focus on God and praise Him! Psalm 98:4 says, “Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!” God is fully worthy and deserving of our praise.
Let yourself rest in God’s Presence. Transition your mind from all of the many things going on in your life, academics, extra-curricular activities, sports, and all the other things on your to-do list and schedule, and just talk to God. Sing to God. He will draw near to us as we draw near to Him in worship and prayer.
I used to be in the audience when singing the songs in Chapel, but as of second semester this year, I have joined the Worship Arts team and it is fantastic! It is a wonderful group of people who come together and are dedicated to serving the school community through leading worship. I am honored and delighted to be a part of this amazing group of people and help lead worship in song. I hope that by us standing up there, leading songs, many others will be encouraged to join in. It’s beautiful looking out on a room full of people in a strong school community from the stage, united in worshiping the King. By singing and leading worship, we are actively inviting and welcoming God’s Presence to fill the room, to dwell with us. And He does. He is near. He is here. He is with us.
Chapel is not the time to take a nap or talk with your friends, it is a time to be with God and talk to Him. If you are tempted to lean over and say something to your friend in the middle of Chapel, remember that you need to be quiet and respectful. Keep in mind that God may be trying to speak to you. God is speaking to you through the words of the speaker who is being vulnerable and sharing a part of their story. What they have learned from their story and how God has shaped and grown their faith and relationship with Him is a gift. That is why it is so important to be quiet and attentively listen. Listen to the message being spoken and listen for the Voice of the Holy Spirit. If you sense yourself becoming sleepy, change your posture and sit up a bit more because every speaker deserves our respect and attention. If you find yourself struggling to stay awake or focus on the speaker’s message, bring a journal to take notes while you’re listening. Each speaker has so much wisdom to offer. Listen closely to hear whatever God has to say to you, listen for the precious bit of wisdom that He wants to ingrain in your heart, mind, and soul.
Chapel is beautiful.
We transition from the stress, anxiety, and business of the past three days of the school week and enter into a time of worshiping the Lord, where we let all of those stresses, anxieties, worries, fears, and concerns float up into Heaven, landing at our Father’s Feet. It is a time when we let go of these things and trust that Jesus will take care of them because He cares for us, and He holds each one of us and every one of our lives in His Hands. One of my favorite Bible verses is 1 Peter 5:7, which says, “Cast all your anxieties on Him because He cares for you.” We do not have to be burdened by all that we have going on in our lives that is causing emotional pain and suffering because the God of the Universe knows us, sees us, and hears us.
So may we all lift up our voices in song and lift up our hearts in prayer to King Jesus.