I couldn't wait to get back to my computer to write all this down. Here I am running on a treadmill, doing my thing, when the magnificence of God comes triumphantly through my iPhone. Steve Jobs and the Hoover dam could not have withstood the river of excellence that reached my ears.
I have been battling back and forth for years with the debates over the appropriate nature of church music in our worship. Is too many bells and whistles a distraction? Is the concert feel taking away from intimate proclamation of my love to my Savior? All very serious questions worth the asking.
Worship takes many attitudes - humility, compassion, joy, and sorrow to name just a few. And earthly worship is very often done out of obedience only. The feeling of lightheartedness is not often the main emotion in my worship. Quite rarely, in fact. There are many more times when I come with a heavy life burden, as if there is a brick wall preventing penetration of my heart. In those times, I worship God in song out of obedience because I still believe the words of the song. I just don't have the physical joy.
But I believe that when we get to heaven in the End Times, and we see God, all the debates about loud or soft, instruments or acapella, co-ed or same sex - these will all vanish. Instead, I will be surrounded with the sound of thousands of instruments all in one accord, voices unable to be silenced, all praising the Creator and Savior King.
I have been battling back and forth for years with the debates over the appropriate nature of church music in our worship. Is too many bells and whistles a distraction? Is the concert feel taking away from intimate proclamation of my love to my Savior? All very serious questions worth the asking.
Worship takes many attitudes - humility, compassion, joy, and sorrow to name just a few. And earthly worship is very often done out of obedience only. The feeling of lightheartedness is not often the main emotion in my worship. Quite rarely, in fact. There are many more times when I come with a heavy life burden, as if there is a brick wall preventing penetration of my heart. In those times, I worship God in song out of obedience because I still believe the words of the song. I just don't have the physical joy.
But I believe that when we get to heaven in the End Times, and we see God, all the debates about loud or soft, instruments or acapella, co-ed or same sex - these will all vanish. Instead, I will be surrounded with the sound of thousands of instruments all in one accord, voices unable to be silenced, all praising the Creator and Savior King.
