Jenifer Metzger : The Heart of Worship

"Sing to the Lord you saints of His, praise His holy name." Psalm 30:4

I love music and I love to worship. My absolute favorite thing on Sunday mornings is singing and worshipping with my church family. When I am at home, I love to play worship cds or have the radio playing and just worship the Lord. I feel closest to God when I am singing praises to Him.  At church, sometimes, we will sing a newer song that I do not yet know, we did today in fact. But that still does not stop me from worshipping. I still praise God as I listen to the words of the song.

Can we still worship God when there is no music? The answer is a definite YES! As a matter of fact sometimes in my private time with God I will sing praises to Him even without music. Our church has a fabulous worship team.  Beautiful singers, keyboards, drums, bass guitar and electric guitar. But I can guarantee you that there was not an electric guitar rocking out in Bible times. I am sure David did not have a large set of shiny drums bobbing his head up and down as he played. So no expensive, fancy instruments, but they still raised their voices to God in praise.  God did not call us to have a large band of instruments or beautiful voices. He called us to worship Him.

Is music bad? The answer is a definite NO! Music is wonderful and beautiful. The Bible says in Psalm 98:5-6, "Make music to the Lord with the harp, with the harp and the sound of singing, with trumpets and the blast of the ram's horn, shout for joy before the Lord, the King."  God created music. Music is definitely not a bad thing. But if we are depending on the music to worship, we need to step back and look at ourselves. Yes, God loves music. But He wants us. He wants our worship and praises.

Today after our worship pastor talked about this, he stopped the music and the church simply raised their voices in praise. What a beautiful sound! I can just see God smiling as we praised Him.  The Bible tells us that God inhabits the praises of His people.  Inhabits means to live with or dwell in. So when we praise God, He is with us! Music or no music, we should praise our God. There is a song (below) that I truly love. Take a moment to read the words, really read the words. Or better yet...sing them. Then this week take time out each day to sing praises to God.  Try singing praises with music one day and without music another day.  However you do it, simply praise God.

When the music fades
All is stripped away

And I simply come

Longing just to bring

Something that's of worth

That will bless Your heart

I'll bring You more than a song

For a song in itself

Is not what You have required

You search much deeper within

Through the way things appear

You're looking into my heart

I'm coming back to the heart of worship