Everything is coming up worship in this house right now. The E4 Preaching Conference was Friday, and I was a part of the praise team for that. Two of my closest friends and I are leading worship for a conference next month, and I am in full-on planning mode. Then last Sunday, Zach had his first ever performance with our children's choir. Zach was in preschool choir for the last couple of years, but moving up to children's choir is stepping it up a notch. Needless to say, I was nervous about what he would do on stage. In preschool choir, it was not unusual for him to wave at us while singing or to jump the entire time. This time he was cool, calm, and collected - just like the rest of the choir. It was a great performance!
Before the kids came on the platform to sing, the children's leaders had them seated on the front row of the sanctuary. I was singing in the praise team, so the first thing I see as we begin the service was my smiling 6-year-old! I couldn't help but smile back at him. As we progressed in the service, I could see that he was singing, which made me happy. We were singing mostly hymns that day, and seeing him sing those old treatises of the faith gave me great joy.
The last hymn was a bluesy-gospel version of "I Must Tell Jesus." While I grew up with that hymn, I never really thought much about it until I sang this particular version. It is a ton of fun - especially for musical types like me! I LOVE when it appears in the worship plan! As we progressed to the last verse, the music began to swell, as did the voices in the congregation. On the last chorus, the instruments drop out, and all that is left is the voices of the faithful proclaiming,
"I must tell Jesus, I must tell Jesus, I cannot bear my burdens alone.
I must tell Jesus, I must tell Jesus, Jesus can help me, Jesus alone!"
Every time we sing that song, it gives me chills to hear people confessing their need to talk to the Living Lord about the concerns in their life. Our church family does this particularly loudly, and I can only imagine the joy it brings to heaven. This past Sunday, my eyes filled with tears as the loudest voice singing that chorus was my baby boy! (He's 6, but he's my baby!) Stewart saw and heard him, too, and we both exchanged grins. I hope I never forget that moment!
While studying the book of Malachi this week, I read the following out of The Message translation:
““I am honored all over the world. And there are people who know how to worship me all over the world, who honor me by bringing their best to me. They’re saying it everywhere: ‘God is greater, this GOD -of-the-Angel-Armies.’ “All except you. Instead of honoring me, you profane me. You profane me when you say, ‘Worship is not important, and what we bring to worship is of no account,’ and when you say, ‘I’m bored—this doesn’t do anything for me.’ You act so superior, sticking your noses in the air—act superior to me, GOD -of-the-Angel-Armies! And when you do offer something to me, it’s a hand-me-down, or broken, or useless. Do you think I’m going to accept it? This is GOD speaking to you." (Malachi 1:11-13)
Well then. That was pretty much in my face. What am I offering to God when I worship? Is it half-hearted? Is it useless? Is it blemished in some way? And would I be so audacious to say I was bored in worship? Yet I have done that. My son gave a pleasing sacrifice. My little boy sang with all his heart. May I never act superior or think that worship is unimportant. May I never take for granted the privilege of worship given to me by the shed blood of Jesus. May my voice be the loudest and the most joyous!
Before the kids came on the platform to sing, the children's leaders had them seated on the front row of the sanctuary. I was singing in the praise team, so the first thing I see as we begin the service was my smiling 6-year-old! I couldn't help but smile back at him. As we progressed in the service, I could see that he was singing, which made me happy. We were singing mostly hymns that day, and seeing him sing those old treatises of the faith gave me great joy.
The last hymn was a bluesy-gospel version of "I Must Tell Jesus." While I grew up with that hymn, I never really thought much about it until I sang this particular version. It is a ton of fun - especially for musical types like me! I LOVE when it appears in the worship plan! As we progressed to the last verse, the music began to swell, as did the voices in the congregation. On the last chorus, the instruments drop out, and all that is left is the voices of the faithful proclaiming,
"I must tell Jesus, I must tell Jesus, I cannot bear my burdens alone.
I must tell Jesus, I must tell Jesus, Jesus can help me, Jesus alone!"
Every time we sing that song, it gives me chills to hear people confessing their need to talk to the Living Lord about the concerns in their life. Our church family does this particularly loudly, and I can only imagine the joy it brings to heaven. This past Sunday, my eyes filled with tears as the loudest voice singing that chorus was my baby boy! (He's 6, but he's my baby!) Stewart saw and heard him, too, and we both exchanged grins. I hope I never forget that moment!
While studying the book of Malachi this week, I read the following out of The Message translation:
““I am honored all over the world. And there are people who know how to worship me all over the world, who honor me by bringing their best to me. They’re saying it everywhere: ‘God is greater, this GOD -of-the-Angel-Armies.’ “All except you. Instead of honoring me, you profane me. You profane me when you say, ‘Worship is not important, and what we bring to worship is of no account,’ and when you say, ‘I’m bored—this doesn’t do anything for me.’ You act so superior, sticking your noses in the air—act superior to me, GOD -of-the-Angel-Armies! And when you do offer something to me, it’s a hand-me-down, or broken, or useless. Do you think I’m going to accept it? This is GOD speaking to you." (Malachi 1:11-13)
Well then. That was pretty much in my face. What am I offering to God when I worship? Is it half-hearted? Is it useless? Is it blemished in some way? And would I be so audacious to say I was bored in worship? Yet I have done that. My son gave a pleasing sacrifice. My little boy sang with all his heart. May I never act superior or think that worship is unimportant. May I never take for granted the privilege of worship given to me by the shed blood of Jesus. May my voice be the loudest and the most joyous!
And here's the big boy enjoying a train ride!
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