Choir Devo - "Come on into the house"
I have been through several phases when it comes to worship music. As a choir student, like you (my students) there were times when it was all about how I sounded and how other people did or didn't sound. After studying music and working on the mechanics for so many years worship was all about what was heard. To combat this I went through a phase when I didn't sing much in church. Unfortunately, then the music was about how much I wasn't singing, which basically was the same thing in reverse - it was still about the sound rather than the worship.
As I have continued to work on falling in love with Jesus I have seen the way worship music has changed. Living in a community of people who passionately love Jesus has made a huge impact on worship music for me. Seeing others around me worship authentically has helped me love the words and music more richly and to worship God more fully. Worship music has become just that, a chance to worship God in a beautiful way.
I have been listening to Francis Chan's new book, "Letters to the Church." In the beginning, he shares his heart for a church with authentic worship. He says, "I want all of us to sing directly to God, and I mean really sing, I don't mean going through the motions of singing out of routine or guilt. Have you ever been a part of a group of people actually singing to God, singing with reverence and emotion, singing as if God is really listening to their voices?" That is how people at RVA sing and it's because they love Jesus. Every word they sing they are reminded of the truth of who He and so they sing more excitedly.
I love going to Tuesday Praise Chapel on campus because it is full of people who are choosing to worship. There are times I just listen because as I hear the words sung by those who love Jesus I am encouraged in my heart to love Him too. Those who are singing do so out of their love for God because He is worthy. They point me to praise Him fervently.
Our new choir song is, "Come on into the house." I picked it for two reasons. It is a gospel song with the possibility of an adlibbed solo. This is an important genre to practice for it has it's own feel as the choir works to stay together and supports a soloist who is singing runs and adding phrases at will. It's both an important genre to work on and to present. The second reason comes in the words. Quoting David in Psalm 122 the words of the song say, "Let us go into the house of the Lord." When David wrote these words he was joining in with all those who were taking up the promise God had given them to make Jerusalem their new place of worship. They were going together to lay their burdens down and live a life of worship in the place God had given them. Today the song reminds us to stop what we are worried about and focus on God. To stop trying to take care of everything ourselves and to trust Him, to hope in Him. The message points us to worship and reminds to us love God and sing to Him, just "really sing" to Him.
So, through my phases of worship music, I have come to learn that it's not about how it sounds, it's about singing out the truth and relishing who God is through something creative and beautiful. How do we do that, we put aside the notes and look to His character in the words and we "sing directly to God."
As I have continued to work on falling in love with Jesus I have seen the way worship music has changed. Living in a community of people who passionately love Jesus has made a huge impact on worship music for me. Seeing others around me worship authentically has helped me love the words and music more richly and to worship God more fully. Worship music has become just that, a chance to worship God in a beautiful way.
I have been listening to Francis Chan's new book, "Letters to the Church." In the beginning, he shares his heart for a church with authentic worship. He says, "I want all of us to sing directly to God, and I mean really sing, I don't mean going through the motions of singing out of routine or guilt. Have you ever been a part of a group of people actually singing to God, singing with reverence and emotion, singing as if God is really listening to their voices?" That is how people at RVA sing and it's because they love Jesus. Every word they sing they are reminded of the truth of who He and so they sing more excitedly.
I love going to Tuesday Praise Chapel on campus because it is full of people who are choosing to worship. There are times I just listen because as I hear the words sung by those who love Jesus I am encouraged in my heart to love Him too. Those who are singing do so out of their love for God because He is worthy. They point me to praise Him fervently.
Our new choir song is, "Come on into the house." I picked it for two reasons. It is a gospel song with the possibility of an adlibbed solo. This is an important genre to practice for it has it's own feel as the choir works to stay together and supports a soloist who is singing runs and adding phrases at will. It's both an important genre to work on and to present. The second reason comes in the words. Quoting David in Psalm 122 the words of the song say, "Let us go into the house of the Lord." When David wrote these words he was joining in with all those who were taking up the promise God had given them to make Jerusalem their new place of worship. They were going together to lay their burdens down and live a life of worship in the place God had given them. Today the song reminds us to stop what we are worried about and focus on God. To stop trying to take care of everything ourselves and to trust Him, to hope in Him. The message points us to worship and reminds to us love God and sing to Him, just "really sing" to Him.
So, through my phases of worship music, I have come to learn that it's not about how it sounds, it's about singing out the truth and relishing who God is through something creative and beautiful. How do we do that, we put aside the notes and look to His character in the words and we "sing directly to God."
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