Preparing For Sunday: Beyond Singing
A deep issue in Western Christianity is the teaching and practice of worship as singing for an hour on Sunday morning. Even if the church you attend or previously attended teach that worship is more than that, what does their practice betray? Would the evidence point to the belief that worship is mainly singing on Sundays? This incomplete definition of worship affected me for many years. When I began teaching middle school, it was a constant struggle to figure out what it looked like to worship God while doing my job. I mean, how does one teach about the lasting effects of North Carolina lacking deep water ports while still singing “Lord, I Lift Your Name On High” in my head?
While the Pharisees catch flak from our arrogant hindsight, we’re often similar in our approach to God. In their mind, the “what” you do mattered more than the “why”, or the heart behind it. For instance, it’s much easier to worship God when you define that as a quantifiable law or event. In our case, that’s attending church on Sundays and singing to God. We believe if we really concentrate on the words, sing as well as we can, we’ve worshiped Him. Jesus spent a great deal of time addressing their distorted view. Matthew 15 is a particularly convicting passage, as Jesus quotes Isaiah 29:13 right in the face of the Pharisees:
“This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me”
A common theme in Jesus’ teaching is the examination of the heart, and the change needed in order to honor and worship God. Arguably, our heart is more important than our actions. Hold onto your tights, Brother Hood; Before you rob a bank to give to the poor, keep reading. Christ does not give us license to do whatever we want, as long as our hearts are right. In any case, when your heart is right, your actions and desires will be as well. This is behind Christ’s command in John 15:7 to “ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.”
As we seek to worship God outside of singing on Sundays, we often get hung up on our actions instead of examining our heart. This line of logic leads many to the conclusion that a person working for a church worships God much more than a bank teller. Let me assure you, having a job in ministry does not make you any more holy, any more righteous with God, or does it mean you worship God more. All it does is provide another method of legalism for those who would distortedly purport to be holy by their own actions. For all of us, worshiping God in each moment is not what you’re doing, but why. Are you serving yourself or God in this moment? Am I writing this blog entry out of a selfish desire to gain attention, or a humble obedience to God? Are you doing your tasks at work just to keep your boss or co-workers off your back, or are you humbly seeking to honor your boss in what’s been asked of you, because your worth is found in Christ? Your heart is what matters most. Give it to Christ, and ask the Spirit to sanctify you, that is; make your heart like Christ’s.
“Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” – 1 Thess. 5:23-24
The remaining two songs we’ll sing this Sunday are And Can It Be That I Should Gain and Thank You. As you read the lyrics below, consider just what God has done for you, and ask Him to make them the natural response of your heart. Enter this Sunday thanking God for what He’s done and who He is.
I look forward to seeing you Sunday, and continuing our worship of God together.
- Matt Stevens
And Can It Be That I Should Gain
Words by Charles Wesley
and can it be that i should gain an interest in my Savior’s blood?
died He for me, who caused His pain, for me,who scorned His perfect love
amazing love! how can it be that You, my God, would die for me?
You left Your Father’s throne above; so free, so infinite Your grace!
emptied Yourself of all but love, and bled for Adam’s helpless race!
amazing love! how can it be that You, my God, would die for me?
boldly i come before Your throne to claim Your mercy, immense and free
no greater love will e’er be known, for o my God, it found out me
amazing love! how can it be that You, my God, would die for me?
Thank You
Words and Music by Thad Cockrell, Matt Stevens
Your love has given me a reason when I find myself alone
It was then my eyes were opened
To what truly is my home
Your love is wonderful, unshakable, unmovable
Something I can place my hope in
Through all of our tribulations,
our sufferings and situations
Our little worries that we turn into mountains
You are bigger than these
You are, You are
I want to thank you, Lord
For what you’ve done for me
I want to praise you, Lord
and from this heart I’ll sing
I want to thank you
I need to thank you
I want to thank you
There’s no sorrow where we’re going
You’ve prepared for us a home
So I’ll fix my eyes on Jesus
He tells me that I am his own
Your love is wonderful
unshakable, unmovable
Something I can place my hope in
Through all of our tribulations,
our sufferings and situations
Our little worries that weturn into mountains
You are bigger than these
You are, You are
I want to thank you, Lord
For what you’ve done for me
I want to praise you, Lord
and from this heart I’ll sing
I want to thank you
I need to thank you
I want to thank you