Last night I came home from worship practice refreshed and encouraged. I had spent the week researching the songs we are singing, concentrating on the words and letting them resonate with me. I sat down with my husband last night and asked him what he thought worship meant. His response saddened me a little. He said, "I cannot sing. I do not know music and so I don't really look forward to the worship end of things in a church service"....he is embarrassed by his voice or inability to hit the right key.
I talked to him about worship last night. Usually he is the one leading me but God has given me a desire for worshiping Him through song and music and it was my turn to encourage my husband and teach him a little.
I talked to him about the true meaning of worship. We discussed how most who attend church probably like the "show". We've heard it from close people, "we really like this church because they have a huge stage and lights and a big band". But do they worship in Spirit and in Truth?
"Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."
John 4:23-24
We talked about how some people in the church can be really technical, legalistic and discouraging when it comes to worship and we concluded that maybe they are not worshiping in spirit and truth.
I encouraged him and discussed these issues:
Worshiping on Sunday mornings doesn't have to look the same to everyone. It's structural sure...but it looks differently for me than it does my husband. Worship can be being completely lost in song, hands raised, eyes closed and you are consumed by Jesus. Worship can also be treated as a message. I am SO thankful for our worship pastor and the pastoral staff at our church because I truly believe the messages are hand picked as are the songs of worship. They are not simple songs....they are songs with great meaning and just soaked in the Gospel. Worship may be just intently reading the words and letting God speak to you through those words. Worship may be just closing your eyes, closing your mouth and listening to people around you worship. Worship can seem sloppy. Sometimes you are surrounded by people who are all tone deaf but that doesn't matter. THAT DOESN'T MATTER. It is not what we have to worship (instruments) or where we worship (big building, fancy or small)...what matters is our heart of worship.
Heart of Worship
When the music fades and all is stripped away and I simply come.....
Matt Redman sings this song and he has a gorgeous testimony of this song behind it. I encourage you to take time to really read his story here. Basically, his church was struggling to find meaning in it's worship. He decided to get rid of all musical instruments and sound systems for a season and allow only voices....the rest of the story is amazing.
God doesn't hear you who are tone deaf. God sees your heart. I honestly get terrified to sing up front every time I am scheduled but one of the GREATEST privileges is pulling away from the mic and listening to God's choir....because although there may be lots of off pitch sounds....from the front it sounds angelic. It's beautiful and I imagine it's a little taste of heaven.
This is probably the most beautiful picture I have heard of what God hears....Jim Wilson laid down in a field of crickets and recorded them for an hour. All he heard was lost of chirping. I know my husband and I love the sounds of crickets on a summer night. It's beautiful. Well Jim took it a step further and brought the recording to a studio and slowed down the track to match that of a human life span and this is what he got.....this is what I picture God hearing....we may hear the flaws but God hears his children worshiping His Name.
I pray my husband can view worship differently after our talk. I pray that his heart can know the true meaning of worship and not be embarrassed because of his pitch. I personally think there is nothing more beautiful than someone who is tone deaf singing their heart out because I know and can tell where their heart is....they are worshiping in spirit and truth...
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