Making Music

If you attend church regularly, then you know over the last several years there has been a transition of music in most worship services. Most traditional hymns have left the sanctuary, and in their place, contemporary worship and choruses have become an established expression of worship. By the way, this particular devotional is not a debate over that issue. There is great support and inspiration to support both sides of the aisle or a platform for those opinions. I am a potluck gal when it comes to worship music. I like some of it all. But the role of music and singing in worship goes beyond opinions, taste, style, etc. The role of music and singing was designed by the Lord to call us into a fuller expression of our praise and thanksgiving to God and His marvelous love and great deeds. Science has proven many times, through many studies, how music and singing loosen our inhibitions and engage us and our emotions in ways that other forms do not do. 

By the time an unborn child is in about its fourth month of development, it begins to hear. Studies show that babies display increased activity in response to their mom’s voice, even more when the mom sings. If you are a musician or a singer, you may know that Mozart’s brain is real and babies’ brain development is enhanced by classical music more than other genres. How’s that for all the folks arguing over hymns vs contemporary? Maybe we should play Handel Messiah back in the church nursery to promote development and early worship!

Music is mentioned over 400 times in the bible in a variety of ways, from David’s psalms and harp to the Song of Moses raised by him and the Israelites after the crossing of the Red Sea. The completion of the wall in Nehemiah was celebrated by choirs and musicians. Col 3:16 tells us to sing Psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs to God. The KJV of the verse says, “Making melody in your heart to the Lord”.! I love this. Music and songs touch us and come from deep places down inside. Many times, I leave worship humming a song, and it stays in my head… and heart all day. But as a singer and a musician, I learned that music and singing alone don’t guarantee worship. Worship is spirit and truth! Jesus said so. So no matter how talented or how accurate the notes, guitars, drums, flashing lights, and”relative,” we claim our worship to be without removing ourselves and our ego from our expression. As Paul said, we are just a gong or a clanging cymbal in the love chapter. Worship for Christ without adoration and gratitude can be entertaining to the saints but can grieve the spirit. More on this later…

So, how do I employ music and singing to enrich the worship I express to my Lord. I listen to the word, I read the word, I DIGEST the word. This means I allow the word of God to penetrate and transform, convict, and give insight. This, in turn, draws me into closer fellowship with the Father. Closer fellowship with the Lord will always draw us into true worship. I can listen, sing, play the piano, hum, and even dance before the Lord. This is especially true in times of crisis and calamity.

 I remember the morning after 9-11. I was in the hospital clinic seeing patients when an elderly man raised his raw, shaky voice in the bewildered, stunned silence and sang, “A Mighty Fortress is our God, a bulwark never failing.”. I have never been present at a more worshipful praise encounter than this! Remember, God inhabits the praise of His people. This is a reason why I love corporate worship. Something happens collectively among the people of God that cannot, does not occur in personal worship, the car, the beach, etc. When the body glorifies God, it sanctifies us all the more. It sets us and our hearts and minds away from the trouble of this world and our own frailties. I am humbled when I am reminded and overcome by how great God is and His miraculous love. 

Worship without humility is impossible. True worship is the exaltation of God, not the elevation of self. They are not spiritual twins who are simultaneously rewarded. God does not receive His due, while I secretly have an agenda to bless myself or even others for that fact. Of course, we all want to sound good, but that is usually the result of preparedness, where we are called to be good stewards of the talents the Lord has given us. Worship says this is God’s time. 

Given our culture, I think it is harder to rise above the pressure to perform and entertain than to enter into true worship. The temptation to do what I call garage band worship is on the rise. This is where some talent and drive trades secular venues for Sunday morning platforms. The band gathers a few friends and buddies, draws and counts on emotional, visceral responses to music, sets the atmosphere with dim lights and smoke, raises hands, and considers it a Sunday helping of feel-good worship. I love praise teams, but when choirs were phased out, we basically said to many folks that their contribution to worship could have been more valuable. Technically, many harmonies left our ears because the trend was for soloists. By the way, I love a lot of this stuff, but I stand firmly that it doesn’t guarantee worship any more than a robed choir does. Just because trends in music change doesn’t mean we have more or less worship. I have experienced many of these facets at entertainment venues and loved it! But once again, no worship occurred; sure, I was thankful for the talent, the pleasure, and the lifting of my emotions, but true worship is lifting up the name of Jesus without regard to what I am getting out of it. There is no spiritual version of American Idol; if this approach enters worship, it would need to be called American Idolatry; I know it’s harsh but true.

Matt Redman summed this up when he penned this song,

“When the music fades, all is stripped away, and I simply come,

longing just to bring something that’s of worth, that will bless your heart,

“I’ll bring you more than a song, for a song in itself is not what you have required; you search much deeper within through the way things appear,

looking into my heart, I’m coming back to the heart of worship, and it’s all about you, it’s all about you, Jesus”.

 Whether I am tinkering at the piano or, humming off-key or lifting my voice with the congregation, God’s ear is tuned to my single solitary expression of praise. He desires ( doesn’t need it, for He lacks nothing ), but He longs for my worship and for me. He loves me. He is always listening and turns up the volume regarding my praise.

Our God is faithful! His love endures forever! 

Hope you return to the vineyard where next time we turn down the music and we turn up the word when the series on worship continues.