There’s an old song that says, “Get all excited”, and I can’t help but wonder why we don’t. Back when I was playing baseball it was common to hear players and coaches say, “Come on, talk it up. Let’s hear some chatter out there!” That was a part of the game. Everyone knew the importance of of emotion. It not only inspires us, excitement is contagious. Watching others get excited has a way of stirring up your emotions, and that can be very important. It can make the difference in the outcome of whatever we’re doing. That’s why the “home team” has an advantage in a ball game. Can you imagine watching a ballgame where there is no display of emotion? Chances are it would be that way only if there was an attitude of indifference. If you don’t care what the outcome is there is nothing to get excited about. But if you care about winning and losing, victory and defeat, emotions come easy. We get excited about things we value, like, or admire.
Maybe that explains why some are so unemotional in church. If a person doesn’t care about what he hears or sees there is nothing to get excited about. On the other hand, if a person has a great love for God, a healthy fear of God, an intimate relationship with God, and a strong desire to please God, he will be excited about worshiping God. He might not express his emotion in exactly the same way as others, but he most certainly will be deeply moved when God is honored, when Christ is exalted, when the saints are edified.
It should be stated that emotions aren’t everything as some people make it appear. It takes more than a hallelujah hoedown to impress God. If the truth is absent, the conduct improper, and the motives impure God isn’t impressed — regardless of the showy display. However, that being said, neither is God pleased with a cold, dead, formal, unemotional service where you never hear so much as a holy grunt from anyone. My question is, how can a person who has been forgiven, indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and assured of heaven not get excited about worshiping the King of kings and Lord of lords? How is that possible? Why is that acceptable? That is a problem that should never exist.
What excites you? Are you one of those who goes to a ballgame and yells like a Comanche and then attends church and sits like a wooden Indian? I’m not saying we should behave the same way in church that we behave at a ballgame— that’s not the point. Worship demands a dignity that isn’t expected at a ballgame, but surely we ought to be deeply moved at the thought of being in the presence of Christ. Think about it!
