"While the harpist was playing, the hand of the Lord came upon Elisha."
Have you ever noticed this prophetic idiosyncrasy? The Message version of II Kings 3:15 says: "When a minstrel played, the power of God came on Elisha." Is that a random connection? I think not. There are other instances in the Old Testament where music dramatically changes the emotional and spiritual climate. For that matter, it was the worship leaders who led Israel into war on occasion. Check out II Chronicles 20:21.
What am I getting at? As leaders we need to be intentional about creating atmospheres where people can hear God's voice. And musical worship is one of them. I had this revelation during worship a few weeks ago. Some things cannot be learned from a sermon. They can only be experienced in worship.
I'm not suggesting that you rent a harpist. But you better figure out how to hear His voice more clearly. Just as athletes have pre-game rituals that help them get in the right frame of mind for a game. I think we need spiritual rituals that help us get in the right frame of spirit. That is what musical worship does. It tunes us to God.
Whenever I open a service I try to put a frame around the experience. Here's how I did it this week. I simply reminded our congregation that we often feel unworthy to worship God but God is always worthy to be worshiped. We worship in that tension. And we have a saying around NCC: don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshiping what's right with God. Why? Because He's worthy!
Have you ever noticed this prophetic idiosyncrasy? The Message version of II Kings 3:15 says: "When a minstrel played, the power of God came on Elisha." Is that a random connection? I think not. There are other instances in the Old Testament where music dramatically changes the emotional and spiritual climate. For that matter, it was the worship leaders who led Israel into war on occasion. Check out II Chronicles 20:21.
What am I getting at? As leaders we need to be intentional about creating atmospheres where people can hear God's voice. And musical worship is one of them. I had this revelation during worship a few weeks ago. Some things cannot be learned from a sermon. They can only be experienced in worship.
I'm not suggesting that you rent a harpist. But you better figure out how to hear His voice more clearly. Just as athletes have pre-game rituals that help them get in the right frame of mind for a game. I think we need spiritual rituals that help us get in the right frame of spirit. That is what musical worship does. It tunes us to God.
Whenever I open a service I try to put a frame around the experience. Here's how I did it this week. I simply reminded our congregation that we often feel unworthy to worship God but God is always worthy to be worshiped. We worship in that tension. And we have a saying around NCC: don't let what's wrong with you keep you from worshiping what's right with God. Why? Because He's worthy!
5 Comments:
My eyes began to tear up after reading 2 Kings 3 after reading this post. Thank you so much.
I agree wholeheartedly! So often I have felt it lacking in the churches I have been visiting lately.... if the music part of the service does anything but turn your heart humbly, prayerfully and joyfully toward praising God then we are missing the boat. IT is SO important to get that part of the service right!
I am a Worship Pastor in MN and really appreciate your heart and thoughts on this post. Very Powerful to remember that God is the one who is being praised, not the song or the band...but allowing people to come, as they are, as we are and Worship the Giver of Life.
"I think we need spiritual rituals that help us get in the right frame of spirit."
Could it be said that for most of the history of Christianity, we have had rituals in the form of liturgical worship. If so, why are we in the modern day avant guarde church so quick to give up those rituals and make our church services more like theater events?
Randy,
You can meet in a theater and still practice ancient rituals in fresh forms :)
Old wine.
New wineskins.
Mark
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