“Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit.. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.” Ephesians 5:19
Every week in Church we play and sing songs, from a video screen hanging, from the front of the Sanctuary. While this may SOUND elementary and simple, I can certify that it is anything but! Having been at this Church business most of my life, living today’s Bible verse is a lot harder than it seems.
It takes 3 of us to get the music up on the screen. I usually pick the songs to go with the sermon, Charles downloads and tweaks them onto the computer, and Mike executes the program during the service. Picking songs is more difficult that I want it to be, because never being sure about music is tough. Especially when everyone has their own idea of what they like.
After trying to mix it up with modern videos and old hymns, I was shocked to hear that someone didn’t like a couple videos because, ‘the songs were old’…by like 10 years! And watching faces as we sang “In the Sweet By and By” was like watching someone get a cavity filled… without anesthesia! It has been recorded that there are more fights in churches over music than anything else! And I get it!
It is an absolute fact that if “I” don’t like something, it only stands to reason that JESUS wouldn’t like it either! And since me and Jesus make a majority… well you don’t even GET a vote! Add to it that the songs I want to jump up and dance to don’t even get your toes a tappin’… and we have serious and ‘less than ideal’ worship issues! Thus…the verse!
I listen. In fact, I have to admit I don’t even LIKE picking the songs. But sometimes I get suggestions that simply make me cringe! It’s a judgment call and one that we ALL have to live with. Because sometimes ‘momma LIKES to sing bass while daddy sings tenor!’ And the point is that we all are required to get along ‘in love’ by The Boss Himself!!! That’s Jesus..not Bruce Springsteen.
So I’m going to take the suggestions and switch it up again and try some old, and other stuff. Which is guaranteed to not be pleasing to everyone. I just thank God that our Church errs on the side of love and forgiveness more than judgment. And we’ll live to sing again! As long as no one asks for “Shall We Gather at the River…” we’re good!
PRAYER REQUESTS
There’s a LOT of sick folks out there. Whether Covid, Strep, back issues or other physical ailments, we need to get better. Since Jesus Himself said to “pray the Lord of the Harvest sends workers into the field,” I think it is perfect to pray for the workers who are already out there, and ailing, to get better… right?
