Simon Ponsonby relates a conversation that he had as a young Christian, when he criticised a service of worship. He had just stated that he hadn't enjoyed the worship. As soon as he had said this, God's spirit spoke to his soul with the words "I did". You see, it isn't about whether we enjoy the worship, whether it is our preferred style, it is about putting God in his place in our lives. We don't need a particular worship style to do that. Something deep in the heart of man seeks something or someone to worship; if we don't worship God, we will find an idol to put in that place. Sometimes the worship style can become that idol.
C.S. Lewis talks about there being two situations in worship where a blessing is guaranteed. One is where a trained musician makes worship music below his or her skill level to enable the congregation to encounter God and the other is where the congregation put up with worship music that is not to their tastes in order to worship God (my paraphrase). Now, this is not to say that we should seek out music that is not to our tastes to improve our worship. But Lewis is making the point beautifully that worship is not about us having our need for a certain style of worship met, it is about us worshipping God.
So there is nothing wrong with liking Gregorian Chant (whoever he is) or his sister Taize Chants, or Victorian hymns, Rock Mass, Raves in the Nave or the Radio 2 style, soft rock, evangelical worship style that pervades many modern churches. The point is that as we worship we have to centre our thoughts on Jesus. Our worship has to be centred on him and only him. It's not about us.
Today's attachment is a favourite of mine and it isn't an old hymn. Play it loud!
John Martin-Jones
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