A Young Child Worships--but Do I?

Sunday a week ago found several of my family and me attending the worship service at the church in Kiowa where Sam and Caitlyn and her family attend. I've been curious about the church ever since Sam started attending there. 

One has to be up early Sunday morning to arrive in time for the 9:00 morning service! Rose was up early, making delicious baked blueberry oatmeal. Despite our best efforts, somehow we were just a wee bit late, but we slipped into seats at church near family and friends who had decided to visit along with us. A preliminary worship song was being sung, followed by announcements and a rich message about how Jesus brings peace. And then the worship music, Caitlyn's mom explained later, follows the message as the people's response to the Word of God.

It was a new church for me, and unusually large, and I didn't know anyone there except Caitlyn's family and a couple friends who recently began attending. So I felt a little like this turtle that Tom brought back to Rose from his time in Maryland where he was helping to pack and deal with his grandmother's belongings. 

Tom just knew Rose would love these turtle and hedgehog planters, so he saved them from disposal otherwise and brought them all the way back to Colorado where they could hold her marigolds and violas, all the time their eyes bugging out at company. So there I was, standing during worship music at Majestic View Church, listening to new renditions of old hymns, thinking about the words, wondering what was appropriate personal worship in this new setting (hopefully not with bug eyes!). 

That is when I noticed the young child just ahead of me in the next row. We were singing "I need Thee, oh, I need Thee," a new tune to the words of an old hymn that was one of the earliest hymns my mom and dad taught us children when I was growing up. And suddenly that child's hand was in the air. 

"I need Thee, oh, I need Thee! Every hour I need Thee!"

The girl's other hand suddenly slipped around her father next to her, who noticed and looked down at her. She looked quietly up at him, her other hand still in the air. 

And he broke down. His arm slipped around her, too, and his other hand went up in the air, too. 

"I need Thee every hour; stay Thou nearby.

Temptations lose their power when Thou art nigh. 

I need Thee, oh, I need Thee!

Every hour I need Thee! Oh, bless me now, my Savior;

I come to Thee!"

The two worshipped, arms around each other, hands raised to heaven, swaying just a little bit, 

gently, while the dad (and more than one person standing behind them) wiped tears.

How should I worship in this new church or any church for that matter? Is it okay to lift my hands, to cry, to respond to the words of the song with something besides stoicism?

"A little child shall lead."

"I need Thee, every hour, Most Holy One.

Oh, make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed Son!"

Yours, like the girl belonged to her father,

Yours, like the father belonged to the little girl. 

"I need Thee every hour, in joy or pain;

Come quickly and abide, or life is vain. 

I need Thee, oh I need Thee.

Every hour I need Thee! Oh, bless me now, my Savior;

I come to Thee!"