I love worship songs/choruses. There... I said it. I am unashamed to say it. I'll shout it and sing it if I need to. Yesterday, I worshiped by singing, "Overcome" (Jeremy Camp).
For so long, the "worship wars" of modern Christian churches divided the Body into camps that, when biopsied with careful scrutiny, showed a serious disease. That sickness, which is the root of all spiritual sickness, is the exaltation of "I." Our world is full of this: Loreal caters, "I'm worth it!" Frank Sinatra crooned, "I did it my way" and more examples than I can list here.
But what is wrong with personal preference? Not a thing. Not a thing, as along as it does not disrupt the community and unity of the church. That very hymn that opens your weekly church service may resonate with long-absent worshiper returned after many years. That repetitious praise chorus strikes a chord with the college student who is wondering if there really is a God and does God love her? The next time we think about complaining about the musical packaging of God's Word, we should ask ourselves, "Could this hymn or song be used by the Holy Spirit to reveal God to someone, to teach biblical truth, to encourage or to exhort someone?" Let us pray that our worship music will do these. Let us rejoice that believers come in all shapes and sizes (and with all musical preferences). How beautiful is the Body of Christ!
Make us one, Lord, make us one. Holy Spirit, make us one. Let your love flow so the world will know we are ONE in YOU (Cindy Morgan and John 17:21).
Be this the eternal song, through all the ages long, may Jesus Christ be praised!
Savior, worthy of honor and glory, worthy of all our praise, You overcame. Jesus, awesome in power forever, awesome and great is Your name, You overcame.
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