This is Part 2 of our series “Why We Do What We Do.”
The subject for this month’s column is near and dear to my heart. I am a person who covets time by myself — time to read, reflect, plan, gain perspective, worship, study the Word, go for a walk, play a musical instrument. I find great enjoyment in carving out a few hours of time to craft the flow of a worship service or arrange a new song for the worship team. However, as much as I enjoy these “alone” activities, there is nothing that can ever take the place of gathering together with the body of Christ to worship Him. Nothing.
A couple of Sundays ago, as we brought up our symbols of gifts and talents offered to the Lord, singing “Lay It Down” and “In My Life Lord Be Glorified,” we experienced together something that none of us will soon forget. What was so memorable about experiencing this together? We as individuals can and do have very meaningful times when, in the quietness of our own homes, just us and God, the Holy Spirit impresses things on our hearts and we respond to Him. And yet there is something very unique about experiencing such a moment together.
There is so much to say about this subject. In fact, at this moment I have six books stacked in front of me, all with good arguments for why the church gathers together to worship. It’s hard to know where to begin this vital discussion, so I’m just going to dive right in with the first thought that comes to my mind: the argument from Hebrews 10:24,25.
“And let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near.”
There is no thought in Scripture of a Christian living life alone, disconnected from other Christians. We need each other. And we need each other in worship. By singing songs together we (1) powerfully fill the room with the sound of joint voices lifting up the name of our God, (2) encourage each other with truths about Him, (3) remind each other that we are not alone in our walk, and (4) gain strength from each other to keep pressing on toward the goal. As Harold Best puts it in Unceasing Worship, “The corporate assembly is where love and mutual indwelling congregate; it is where believers have each other within eye- and earshot, within kindly embrace.” As Bob Kauflin writes in Worship Matters, “We’re reminded that we’ve been drawn apart from the world and drawn together to God.”
You know, whenever our lyrics include phrases like “Sing with me” or “Everyone” or “Come Christians join to sing,” I take great joy in looking at my brothers and sisters in the congregation and thinking of it as a special invitation to them to join with me in praising our Lord. And when I catch the eye of someone who’s singing it back to me, that’s even better!
Now here’s something to add to this picture to make it even sweeter. This image may be new for some of you, as it was for me when I first read it. Reggie Kidd in his book With One Voice takes a long look at Hebrews 2:12. And in that long look he sees something very beautiful: Jesus, our Singing Savior, our Worship Leader. In this Scripture (which is derived from Psalm 22, a prophetic passage about the Messiah), Jesus says to the Lord, about us: “I will proclaim Your name to My brethren, in the midst of the congregation I will sing Your praise.” Can you imagine anything that could bring more joy to our corporate times of worship than the picture of our Savior standing in our midst as the Chief Songleader? I can’t . . . except maybe this:
It’s the vision of the future time when together we will gather around the throne of God. I have this picture in mind often when we sing, but most recently I have thought of it in relation to the homegoing of our brother Terry Harrison. The last time Greg and I visited him, there was a CD player next to his bed, filling the room with sounds of praise. And the very vivid and poignant picture that brought to my mind was of Terry soon to be face-to-face with our Lord. And in my mind’s eye, it wasn’t a picture of just one man alone but of many people with him, greeting him, welcoming him, putting their arms around him, and standing side by side with him worshiping the Savior together. This is how it is for our brother now, this is how it will someday be for us, and every Sunday morning we get to experience a little taste of it.
Worshiping with you (as we together are directed by our “Singing Savior”),
Jeanelle
