FROM: Banbury, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom
ABOUT ME: Living the highs and lows of life in the adventurous pursuit of God Himself and of who I'm meant to be as the Bride of Christ.
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Wednesday, April 25, 2007,8:45 p.m.
LESSONS LEARNED
Last year I learned a very important lesson. It was this:
When one of your very best friends phones you on the 22nd of the month - two days after her birthday - and tells you how mad she is at you for forgetting her birthday, the correct response is NOT, "Your birthday isn't until the 27th!" It is not one that inspires faith in either your mental capacities nor your ability to remember things (nor apparently to write them in your calendar, where you have obviously made a gross mistake).
This year the same aforementioned friend learned a very important lesson. It was this:
When one of your very best friends sends you a birthday present Express Post with the sole intention of insuring that she does not miss your birthday like she woefully and foolishly did last year, the correct response after she tells you it will arrive on time because it was sent Express is NOT, "You could feed a child in a third world country for what that cost!"
Needless to say, our idiocy cancels each other out and we remain very close friends. Possibly the idiocy is why we are friends in the first place.
The real sad and inane thing is that the idea of sharing all of our life lessons popped into my head because my calendar just beeped at me to not forget that my friend's birthday is on the 27th.
I nearly chucked the computer off the balcony.....
When one of your very best friends phones you on the 22nd of the month - two days after her birthday - and tells you how mad she is at you for forgetting her birthday, the correct response is NOT, "Your birthday isn't until the 27th!" It is not one that inspires faith in either your mental capacities nor your ability to remember things (nor apparently to write them in your calendar, where you have obviously made a gross mistake).
This year the same aforementioned friend learned a very important lesson. It was this:
When one of your very best friends sends you a birthday present Express Post with the sole intention of insuring that she does not miss your birthday like she woefully and foolishly did last year, the correct response after she tells you it will arrive on time because it was sent Express is NOT, "You could feed a child in a third world country for what that cost!"
Needless to say, our idiocy cancels each other out and we remain very close friends. Possibly the idiocy is why we are friends in the first place.
The real sad and inane thing is that the idea of sharing all of our life lessons popped into my head because my calendar just beeped at me to not forget that my friend's birthday is on the 27th.
I nearly chucked the computer off the balcony.....
Saturday, April 14, 2007,10:34 a.m.
STALE SONGS AND FRESH TRUTHS (continuing the conversation)
I find it interesting that the longer I am forced to leave it between blogging, the more people seem to dig into what's already been said (and not always said by me!) and chew on it a little. I'm not actually ignoring the blogging for that reason, but I do find it an interesting phenomenon, and sometimes you then get little gems like this at the end of 14 comments:
... There is a reason, I think, that Jesus is the Word. Not the song, but the Word. The Word is universal. He is the Truth. His character and glory are never dull, even though our pursuit of him can sometimes get stale. The Truth of God's Word has the substance that our souls need....
He is the Word.
Not the song, but the Word.
Brilliant. It makes me wonder about Revelation 4 (among other places in scripture) where the angels forever say, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord, the Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come. (Revelation 4:8b)" I wonder if they always say it in the same way? Or if perhaps it is the truth that they are always declaring over and over and in fact the way they say it is fresh and new and always changing? I've never thought of that before, but today I wonder....
... Music, on the other hand, firstly appeals to our temporal bodies. There will be changes in musical taste through the years, just like changes in fashion and clothing. However, God's truth remains the same, and we have to be committed to worshipping Him full out no matter what the musical context. Anything less is just us popping our favorite cd in to listen along....
Timely words in our little "conversation" that's been going on about this here. It's truth. And it's a gentle exhortation to examine ourselves, each of us, from the newest Believer to the most seasoned worship leader, to see if we are singing music or declaring truth.
For many who know me it will seem almost unfathomable that I will say these next words, but there is priority even in passion:
Forget the music, it is nothing.
Declare the truth, He is everything.
... There is a reason, I think, that Jesus is the Word. Not the song, but the Word. The Word is universal. He is the Truth. His character and glory are never dull, even though our pursuit of him can sometimes get stale. The Truth of God's Word has the substance that our souls need....
He is the Word.
Not the song, but the Word.
Brilliant. It makes me wonder about Revelation 4 (among other places in scripture) where the angels forever say, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord, the Almighty, who was, and who is, and who is to come. (Revelation 4:8b)" I wonder if they always say it in the same way? Or if perhaps it is the truth that they are always declaring over and over and in fact the way they say it is fresh and new and always changing? I've never thought of that before, but today I wonder....
... Music, on the other hand, firstly appeals to our temporal bodies. There will be changes in musical taste through the years, just like changes in fashion and clothing. However, God's truth remains the same, and we have to be committed to worshipping Him full out no matter what the musical context. Anything less is just us popping our favorite cd in to listen along....
Timely words in our little "conversation" that's been going on about this here. It's truth. And it's a gentle exhortation to examine ourselves, each of us, from the newest Believer to the most seasoned worship leader, to see if we are singing music or declaring truth.
For many who know me it will seem almost unfathomable that I will say these next words, but there is priority even in passion:
Forget the music, it is nothing.
Declare the truth, He is everything.
Wednesday, April 04, 2007,9:14 p.m.
BE UNSTOPPABLE
I came online to blog something else, but noticed a couple of comments I hadn't seen below, and thought one of them raised a good point. It was this:
inquisitive sentiment said...
"A heart in love with God does not need its favorite style of music playing to express itself to God"
This is a good point, but, there have been times when I just cant get into a place of worship that brings me to me knees, now I don't think for me that it's that I don't like that style of music, but its songs that have been over played. I think that there should be a variety, because sometimes some songs are going to trigger a deeper emotional connection. Like for someone who is struggling with sin, and feels horrible, a song about the blood of Jesus is going to move them more than a song about joy... just a few thoughts....
My first reaction - Amen! I hear you and have experienced that same thing. And to Lisa and another Anonymous who responded to this comment with the opinion that we need to buckle down and worship anyway - Amen!
It's a both/and, I think. As worship leaders, we have a responsibility to be sensitive to the people and especially to the Holy Spirit (I rather think that when we're mostly listening to the Holy Spirit about song selection, the "old and tired" phenomenon turns into the "old but Spirit-filled" phenomenon.....).
At the same time, should there be a song that for some reason is 'tired' or not 'in tune' with where we're at for one of us, it is still not about that song. It is still about raising up the name of God and glorifying His name. In that we should be tireless. Check it out:
"Hence, also, [Jesus] is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." (Hebrews 7:25)
If Jesus' love and deliverance is unchanging, then our praise of Him should be unstoppable. Not able to be stopped or stunted by songs that we feel are tired (and there are many of them out there). Not hindered by musical styles we dislike. Not hampered even by a lack of music! Absolutely unstoppable - God is worthy of that kind of praise and much more.
Now, I doubt anyone would disagree with my sentiments above, but some, like 'Inquisitive Sentiment' might be asking, "OK, Baker, I get the concept. What about the execution? It's still difficult to worship through tired music." To that I have only one possible piece of advice, and it is this:
Focus on the Saviour.
And press on. His beauty will inspire your praise. It's your heart He's after anyway, not your singing. Your heart of worship is beautiful.
Press on. Focus on the Saviour.
inquisitive sentiment said...
"A heart in love with God does not need its favorite style of music playing to express itself to God"
This is a good point, but, there have been times when I just cant get into a place of worship that brings me to me knees, now I don't think for me that it's that I don't like that style of music, but its songs that have been over played. I think that there should be a variety, because sometimes some songs are going to trigger a deeper emotional connection. Like for someone who is struggling with sin, and feels horrible, a song about the blood of Jesus is going to move them more than a song about joy... just a few thoughts....
My first reaction - Amen! I hear you and have experienced that same thing. And to Lisa and another Anonymous who responded to this comment with the opinion that we need to buckle down and worship anyway - Amen!
It's a both/and, I think. As worship leaders, we have a responsibility to be sensitive to the people and especially to the Holy Spirit (I rather think that when we're mostly listening to the Holy Spirit about song selection, the "old and tired" phenomenon turns into the "old but Spirit-filled" phenomenon.....).
At the same time, should there be a song that for some reason is 'tired' or not 'in tune' with where we're at for one of us, it is still not about that song. It is still about raising up the name of God and glorifying His name. In that we should be tireless. Check it out:
"Hence, also, [Jesus] is able to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them." (Hebrews 7:25)
If Jesus' love and deliverance is unchanging, then our praise of Him should be unstoppable. Not able to be stopped or stunted by songs that we feel are tired (and there are many of them out there). Not hindered by musical styles we dislike. Not hampered even by a lack of music! Absolutely unstoppable - God is worthy of that kind of praise and much more.
Now, I doubt anyone would disagree with my sentiments above, but some, like 'Inquisitive Sentiment' might be asking, "OK, Baker, I get the concept. What about the execution? It's still difficult to worship through tired music." To that I have only one possible piece of advice, and it is this:
Focus on the Saviour.
And press on. His beauty will inspire your praise. It's your heart He's after anyway, not your singing. Your heart of worship is beautiful.
Press on. Focus on the Saviour.