I think we get so distracted by the “trappings” of worship at times that we lose sight of what worship really is. I love how Matt Redman says it in “Coming Back to the Heart of Worship”. The line, “when the music fades and all is stripped away, I simply come”…. that’s it right there. If we would simply come with our hearts prepared to focus on our God… our entrance to His presence only made possible by the work of the cross, I think our time of corporate worship would become something precious… a time to be treasured and enjoyed, because it would become a time when we come face to face, heart to heart with our Maker, and come undone, changed by His presence in a way that matters eternally. (Though what happens to us when we worship is merely an added blessing and not the goal of worship.) My desire is that we would not be content with the time we set aside for “worship” as it is right now in our services… that we would see that it doesn’t matter whether we sing hymns or choruses, or if we even sing at all. It grieves my heart that we get so wrapped up in “what works” for us, that we refuse to offer our worship simply because “we don’t do hymns”, or “we don’t do choruses”. I can’t imagine saying to God Almighty, “Sorry Lord, but I just can’t worship you today because the music is not to my liking”, and yet we do that all the time! Me included. How arrogant and audacious is that! Does the God of the universe deserve our worship because of who He is or not? Worship is a choice. We get caught up in worshipping the music, and forget its purpose. Music is a gift that God’s given us that opens up two-way communication in a manner unlike any other…He speaks to our hearts and we express our hearts to Him. It’s only meant to be a vehicle of expression carrying messages back and forth, but we’ve given it more importance than it deserves. Our God is seeking those who would worship in spirit and in truth. Music is not necessary for that. Redman’s words speak to me here as well “I’ll bring You more than a song, for a song in itself is not what You have required”… I doubt there was any music playing when Mary, broken and spilled out, wept over the feet of Jesus and poured out her life in fragrant abandon, yet I personally think that is one of the most moving moments of worship recorded in scripture.

Because God set aside an entire tribe to lead the people skillfully in worship through music, I do believe it plays an important role in our corporate worship time. Music is further evidence of the creative God we serve. We just need to be careful that we do not end up worshipping the “created thing” instead of the Creator.

(Sorry this post is so long… I’ve been ruminating about this for awhile now, and I just needed to “get it all out” :))

Simply revealing the previously unseen idolatry present in my worship has caused me to repent and will forever change the way I approach worship on Sunday mornings. Yet another tactic of the flesh has been revealed. Thanks for helping me to mortify sin more effectively and praise God, not idols.

Thanks for the post… Looking forward to the additional posts in this series; I am sure that you will offend me at some point in the series, and I deserve it if I have put something before God!