If you don't sing Hymns..you aren't truly worshiping
“If you don’t sing hymns..you aren’t truly worshiping.”
“If you don’t sing with an organ, you don’t know real worship.”
“Your guitars are for heathens.”
“Hymns are boring, and only old people connect with them.”
“If there isn’t a full band, I don’t want to listen to the music at church.”
“Contemporary music goes against the Bible.”
“If you raise your hands during worship–you just want attention.”
“If you sit down while worshiping our Savior, you can’t really connect with the song.”
We have ALL heard some of these absolutely ridiculous statements haven’t we? I have seen more churches and church people divided over the way that songs are sung in church than anything else.
In fact, I actually have let myself get STRESSED OUT about how to make the “new worshipers” happy along side keeping the “old saints” comfortable as well. But being a Christian isn’t about being comfortable is it? It isn’t about YOU at all.
“WOOOOAAAHHHHH!!! It isn’t about me???” you ask.
NOPE. It is about celebrating the risen Savior. It is about glorifying the God who made the universe. It is about sharing your love for Christ through song, and it is about JESUS CHRIST.
So what is the definition of worship? Worship is “honor paid to a superior being.”
Let’s check out what the Bible says about worship:
Romans 12:1-2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. 2 Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.
Ok, so worship isn’t always in song. You can worship God by giving your bodies, your lives, and dedicate your actions and thoughts to Jesus Christ.
How can we do that?
Transforming your mind.
Spend time in prayer and reading scripture. It is hard to transform your mind to God’s will if you don’t know what that is. So many people misquote scripture, or don’t even know that they are or aren’t sinning because they haven’t actually dug into the Word. Get your Bibles out and study! You can’t become a good teacher without going to college to do so. You can’t learn how to perform surgery without going to medical school. In the same way, it is hard to be a good Christian if you haven’t studied the book that tells you how.
Take care of your physical body
We are only given one body, and it is crucial that we take care of it so that we can use it for God’s work. That includes filling it with healthy foods and exercising. I’m not saying you can’t have ice cream from time to time, but it says that our bodies are the temple. If you were taking care of God’s temple…would you constantly fill it with trash and garbage? Or would you want to keep it keep and taken care of?
Give your life to God
MOST IMPORTANT. The more time you spend with God, reading scripture and praying–the more you will know God’s will for your life. Listen to that still small voice that will guide you to make wise decisions, and to follow in HIS footsteps. You never know if going out of your way for a neighbor will radically change their life. Listen to those promps from the Holy Spirit.
Colossians 3:14-17 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity. 15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts. 17 And whatever you do,whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.
PUT ON LOVE
One of the most important ways you can worship your Savior is to show LOVE. Christians are to go out of their way to love on His people. That means we should have a smile on our faces every Sunday–leaving the worries of the week behind, READY to welcome everyone who comes through the door at church that Sunday. We are to be set apart as different. People need to know that what we have is a beautiful thing. That doesn’t mean you can’t have a bad day…it just means that if you are constantly complaining about your life…who would want to join you as a Christian? Show them a love they have never known. A love that heals wounds, a love that forgives, a love that is POWERFUL.
Live in Peace.
We are not to be causing fights, or starting fights…and when life gets CRAZY…as it will–are you taking time to meditate on God’s word? Are you asking for God’s peace when Satan tries to discourage you? The world is out of control, and Satan LOVES to distract us with things that are “important” when really we need to step back and just live in Christ’s peace
Be thankful
Do you realize that God promises to take care of us? He tells us NOT to worry. We may not have a mansion, we might drive an old minivan, but God promises to take care of His people. I can say from experience that through some of our darkest moments, God provided everything we NEEDED…maybe not everything we wanted, but definitely everything we needed. Be thankful for those things. Cherish the relationships you have been given.
Worship through songs, hymns, and songs from the Spirit
I think that covers it!!! It doesn’t say that we have to sing a specific TYPE of song, or that it can only be with a certain instrument. Instead, it has to be a song from the Spirit. So basically whether it was written 200 yrs ago (let me remind you that most hymns were not written during the time that scripture was….so I’m not sure why they are considered more Holy by some) or if it was written yesterday–as long as it was written from the Spirit–goes along with what scripture says about God…SING IT
Of course a song that speaks to my heart, might not speak to yours. That is OK!! God will bring different Bible verses, and different songs to speak to your heart at different times of your life when you are going through different things! That is a BEAUTIFUL thing. Don’t “pre-judge” a song that could possible change your life or your walk with Jesus at that moment. :D
