I was challenged once again to really think about the words I sing on a Sunday morning and during the week. It can be so easy to get over familiar with favourite tunes that somehow the words seem to wash over us. But there are some amazing biblical truths in the words we sing – and some big promises too! I know that worship songwriters work really hard to incorporate the truth of scripture in the songs we sing as congregations – even more so in the last decade as it has been discovered how little even evangelical Christians get into the Word themselves on a daily basis. So many people look to the songs to see what we believe that it is important the lyrics reflect the truth honestly and fully. It is a really hard job and I know many songwriters take it desperately seriously as they understand the responsibility of the role they do. But, in return, do we actually take proper notice of those words? Do we believe what we sing and do we live in the light of those lyrics? For instance, in the craziness that is today’s world (just take this last weekend – man, crazy!!), do we truly stand on the fact that ‘our God is greater, our God is higher than any other’ and ‘if God is for us then no one can stop us’? And what about lines such as ‘I’m giving you my heart, and all that is within’. I know we can certainly earnestly mean them when we sing them in church – but what about Monday morning when we are tired, don’t want to go to work and face certain deadlines or colleagues – are we still giving God our whole hearts, as that will have an impact on how we deal with others around us? I don’t think it is just the responsibility of the worship songwriter, or even the worship leader, to emphasise biblical truths and principles – it is our responsibility to live them out. And discover more for ourselves. DON’T just rely on being spoonfed the bible through song lyrics and preaches. Delve into it yourself and ask God to give you fresh revelations each time. You’ll find it takes your own personal worship onto a new level as a result…
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I found you thoughts on songs we sing at Church most interesting. I have written 46 songs of joy and many come to me after reading a psalm or a bible passage. I have written two on psalm 51; one emphasizes need for forgiveness and the other the desire for renewal. I wrote a version of the Nunc Dimitis ( Simeon’s Song after seeing the baby Jesus.)
I was just telling someone after church this morning how an old hymn influenced my life to want to do missionary work. It was “Over the seas there are little brown children, fathers and mothers and babies too.” Do you know it. I first sang it in 1940’s Sunday school. I did not become a missionary but a teacher and ,when in Malaysia, I took part in a 6 week mission. By the way I was born in Kent,UK. I am now a lay reader and pastoral visitor in the Anglican church in Harrow Ontario.