Unceasing Worship: Continuous Outpouring

I hope there has been enough time for people to read, reread and digest the first post on Unceasing Worship. I likely won't post more than twice a week on this topic because I think its one we all (myself included) need time to think on and process. Now that some time has past I'd like to move on to the second big though: Continuous Outpouring.

I'll admit to having a bit of trouble with this. These words never appear together in the Bible. However, I think it is an idea that is more than implied just as something like (for those of us at WLA's Thanksgiving service dealt with) Edwards' doctrine of Continuous Creation. The term is never introduced Biblically but never the less it seems sound.

So what is Continuous Outpouring? Well there are two words so let's look at them separately and then how they might be proven to be true Biblically.

Continuous: Relentless. It implies Continuity. Best says "I keep breathing until I die". That's a good way to think of it. We HAVE to, by nature, continue to do this. For God its represented in His own name for Himself: I AM THAT I AM. His word abides forever; Jesus is the same yesterday today and forever

Outpouring: Best admits there are other words he could have used. I won't list them. However, its important to know that its the scriptural force that caused him to choose this word. Most notably its used to describe Jesus sacrifice...being poured out as an offering.

Best suggests that continuos outpouring is shown to be true in three significant ways. First, by the nature of God. Father, Son and Spirit continually commune in perfect harmony with one another. They constantly interact with each other. Their love is perfect and never ending. Its in God's nature to be continuously outpouring. Second, he shows it in creation. Refer back to Edwards' doctrine of continuous creation. Thirdly, the doctrine of Imago Dei reinforces this. We can see continuous outpouring in ourselves. If our proposed definition of worship is to be accepted we have already admitted - we are constantly, continuously even, worshiping something. We are always ascribing worth to something. In an unfallen world it would always have been God. Fallen worship means we can be distracted. However, just as we always worship, just as we always breathe, God always pours out and its that part of Him that's in us that makes continuous outpouring true in light of Imago Dei. Lastly, continuous outpouring is shown to be true in the life and ministry of Christ. He relentlessly gave of himself, focused outward, right until death where the ultimate self-proclaimed outpouring happened. There is much scriptural force to this concept.

So, can we accept this idea? Does continuous outpouring help us to understand worship? I believe it does. I believe it shows why our current definitions of worship come up short.. why referring to music as worship is not good enough. Next time I'll look at authentic worship... what it is and what it is not in light of continuous outpouring.