What is worship? The word first appeared in Genesis 22:5 "Stay here with the donkey, and I and the lad will go over there; we will worship and return to you." Abraham was about to take Isaac and offer to the Lord as he was being instructed. It is interesting to note that the first understanding of worship from the bible was not about songs and music. Worship is first of all obedience to the Lord our Creator and Giver, and that obedience resulted in sacrifice of the highest price.
I firmly believe that worship is not just about the songs we sing on sundays or songs we sing sing during a gathering of believers. It is the overflowing expression of our love and obedience for the Lord that causes us to sing with love, with joy, with awe, with admiration to the Lord. Without an abiding relationship with God on a daily basis, our singing to Him will mean nothing to Him but noise.
Amos 5:21 - 24 (NASB)
"I hate, I reject your festivals,
Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies.
Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings
and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
And I will not even look at the peace offerings
of your fatlings.
Take away from Me the noise of your songs;
I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.
But let justice roll down like waters
And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream."
Israel having being chosen as God's representative did not live a life of obedience to her call. She behaved just the like rest of the other pagan nations. Usurping justice and forsaking righteouness. Yet, they continue to offer to the Lord their sacrifices hoping that the act will bring them blessings. God returned all their sacrifices and rejected their offerings.
As a worship leader, I am conscious of not hyping people up because everyone comes from different posture in their relationship with God. If they are going to sing and not mean from their heart, sing because they need to sing and not out of a love relationship with God, perhaps I am encouraging them to be hypocrites. Yes, I know there are two sides of the coin but I am choosing to nitpick on this perspective for today.
I was just listening to Paul Baloche's cd, "A Greater Song". One of the songs he wrote, "What can I do but thank You, what can I do but give my life to You." It touched me. It's true. Worship does not stop at the songs, it begins from the song we sing and flows into our daily relationship with Christ. Having witnessed, and experienced His greatness and providence, "What can I do? but thank You, What can I do but give my life to You."
Giving of our life is not just saying it, singing it or feeling good about it, it is acting on it. It doesn't matter how long we dwell in free worship of tongues, that's not the point. The point is, how far am I willing to obey the Lord? Just like Abraham offering Isaac. THat's how far he was willing to worship the God who gave him his only son.
I don't want to misunderstand worship Lord. Let it be an overflowing expression of my obedience for You and my love for you.
I firmly believe that worship is not just about the songs we sing on sundays or songs we sing sing during a gathering of believers. It is the overflowing expression of our love and obedience for the Lord that causes us to sing with love, with joy, with awe, with admiration to the Lord. Without an abiding relationship with God on a daily basis, our singing to Him will mean nothing to Him but noise.
Amos 5:21 - 24 (NASB)
"I hate, I reject your festivals,
Nor do I delight in your solemn assemblies.
Even though you offer up to Me burnt offerings
and your grain offerings,
I will not accept them;
And I will not even look at the peace offerings
of your fatlings.
Take away from Me the noise of your songs;
I will not even listen to the sound of your harps.
But let justice roll down like waters
And righteousness like an ever-flowing stream."
Israel having being chosen as God's representative did not live a life of obedience to her call. She behaved just the like rest of the other pagan nations. Usurping justice and forsaking righteouness. Yet, they continue to offer to the Lord their sacrifices hoping that the act will bring them blessings. God returned all their sacrifices and rejected their offerings.
As a worship leader, I am conscious of not hyping people up because everyone comes from different posture in their relationship with God. If they are going to sing and not mean from their heart, sing because they need to sing and not out of a love relationship with God, perhaps I am encouraging them to be hypocrites. Yes, I know there are two sides of the coin but I am choosing to nitpick on this perspective for today.
I was just listening to Paul Baloche's cd, "A Greater Song". One of the songs he wrote, "What can I do but thank You, what can I do but give my life to You." It touched me. It's true. Worship does not stop at the songs, it begins from the song we sing and flows into our daily relationship with Christ. Having witnessed, and experienced His greatness and providence, "What can I do? but thank You, What can I do but give my life to You."
Giving of our life is not just saying it, singing it or feeling good about it, it is acting on it. It doesn't matter how long we dwell in free worship of tongues, that's not the point. The point is, how far am I willing to obey the Lord? Just like Abraham offering Isaac. THat's how far he was willing to worship the God who gave him his only son.
I don't want to misunderstand worship Lord. Let it be an overflowing expression of my obedience for You and my love for you.
Comments
it is also our obedience to him, that makes the acts of worship complete and meaningful, at last.
thanks for your more than 2 cents contributions :)