Do you have that favorite church song? Some of you may have that favorite hymn that if it isn't sang at the church you attend, well that becomes the church you used to attend. Some of you can't carry a tune in a bucket and you hate worship songs for that reason. Others of you have that one song that sends goosebumps up your arm and neck. That song!
I ask you though, is it really the song? We lose this connection so often. I do it myself.
Megan and I recently, and I mean very recently, moved home and started working with a new youth group. Not only is it different, so are the songs. I stood last night during our time of worship and was thinking to myself, "Man, what are these kids singin'? These songs are so far out of left field. Forget it. I'll just wait until the next song"
Buddy, let me tell you something. We always refer to God as our Father. Well it felt like my tail got lit up last night. It was like that time when you were between 12 and 15 and said something stupid and probably got a good whoopin' for it. That's what it felt like to me.
As I stood there, all I felt was this sense of disappointment in me. Have you ever let someone you love down? Yeah, it's a terrible feeling.
Anyways, I'm standing there and the Spirit just came to me and all I could hear in my mind was, "Am I not worthy?" That's a scary question to hear when you think you're all together. It didn't come because "I'm in a bad place spiritually" or because "I've given up". It came because of mere human nature. We are inclined to like what we like.
At that moment, I began to learn the words to a song I don't even know the name of (and my wife can atest to the fact that as a musician I want to know the song names and lyrics). I began to sing out the words to what in my mind was some random song. Man, I don't know about anybody else in the room but God dealt with me and I felt the warmth of His spirit engulf me immediately.
In Revelations throughout the fourth and fifth chapters there are multiple references to repeated worship.
In 4:8 we see the four creatures that day and night never cease to sing "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was and is and is to come"
In 4:11 we see the 24 elders join in by singing "Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created."
In 5:9-10 we see that the four creatures and the 24 elders sang a new song (see we don't have to stick with traditional song all the time, but that's another day) "Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our god, and they shall reign on the earth"
Then in verse 11 more join in singing something new and finally in verse 13 we see that every creature in heaven and on earth and under earth and in the sea and all that is in them say "To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be blessing and honor and glory and might forever and ever."
Now I give you all that scriptural reference to say this: this is a glimpse of heaven and the cry towards God in praise.
I can only speak for myself, but if that is all we get to sing I will be A-Okay with that!
Think about it the next time you get frustrated by a song because it is too contemporary or too traditional....
Does it really matter if it is glorifying God?
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