Courageous Joy

THERE IS NO SACRED MUSIC ONLY SACRED LYRICS.

I’ve been thinking about this quote that a fellow Chaplain’s wife shared with me. I grew up knowing that there was a LOT of sacred music…..but honestly….when you begin to study hymns you get some really cool info. Like the fact Luther’s Hymn, * A Mighty Fortress is our God* is set to the tune of a popular bar tune. The LYRICS are godly and sacred; at the point when it was written the tune itself was very secular.

Why do we get so wrapped up around these issues? Is someone worshipping? Are they touching the face of God? Is their heart proclaiming his goodness and worth? Are they living a life of obedience? If so, I doubt whether God cares if the style is “authorized”.

I’ve been thinking about this. I know folks who think that all contemporary Christian music is compromise with the world and of the devil. I’ve had someone from a more traditional leaning tell me recently that “screaming into a microphone isn’t worship”. She cracked me up. I would agree that screaming in a microphone isn’t worship. I don’t think she meant this in a bad way – she was expressing her thoughts on worship – her preferences and that is certainly o.k. As I’ve laughed about the comment I realized - maybe it depends on what you are screaming??? :::snort::::

I’ve been pondering the issue….the first time we hit a Gen X service at Lackland I did NOT like it. I thought it was too far over the top. I thought there were songs sung that simply weren’t “worship”…..but now I see that these kids love the Lord – they are searching for REALITY….they don’t want to PLAY CHURCH…..and music connects with them. When they flash the lyrics on the screen – I see that they lyrics are sacred…and I adjust to the beat. I love to see my boys entering into worship – and for that I can put up with a bit of rowdiness. LOL

I had to laugh because I thought I was pretty hip. I mean we love KLove…we listen to contemporary music, what’s all the fuss about? Then I realized that we were singing songs I’d not heard before at chapel mixed with the ones I know. My sons found a “positive alternative” music station and I recognized the songs from chapel. So we are a contemporary/alternative service….and you know…..we are touching the face of God – it’s real to these kids. For another to be plopped in that setting it would not be real…they touch the face of God with hymns….but both express the heart of God. I think He is formal and wild….both. I think we should reverence Him and I think there is a time to worship Him with abandon as well (the case can be made that this is also reverence).

This was brought home this Sunday when the worship band launched into a very upbeat song and I thought I’m going to have to learn the words to THIS one…only to realize when they began singing and the lyrics popped up that it was Amazing Grace….the lyrics are sacred. I can worship with Amazing Grace at 10:30 a.m.in 4/4 time and I can worship with all the bells and whistles with Amazing Grace at 6:00 p.m. either way – His grace is still amazing!

Some thoughts I’ve had….what do you think about the quote? I’ve enjoyed contemplating it for the last few weeks.