I'm gonna get right down to some nitty gritty here. You in?
This morning, I was taking some time to prepare for the new June chorus sheet that we'll start practicing with the band this week. The majority of our worship songs are songs we've written in-house; it's something that stuns me whenever I think about it. Over time, they've really begun to add up when you tally the ones written by teenagers before they became worship leaders, the worship leaders and musicians, and the people of the house who have gotten songs in their spirits and submitted them to us to do with them whatever we want. Lately, we've had that unction in our guts that it's time for a new, fresh sound that relates to where we are presently. In addition to writing songs, we've also been looking for current worship songs that other worship bands have been releasing.
So I have a confession to make. It's hard for me to listen to a lot of Christian music. It sounds awful, I know. Worshipping Yahweh is paramount in my life, and to say such a thing sounds like I just want to pick a fight. The trouble is, there's an attitude, or a spirit really, in so much of popular Christian music that I don't think actually glorifies God. (I know I just offended a bajillion fellow believers, but bear with me through the offense; healing salve is coming.) I truly believe the musicians' hearts are likely in the right place and that they're just misinformed. But there's a sense of groveling and "running to You" and longing for heaven one day. There is a time in everyone's life that we must seek Him, run to Him, and beg Him for forgiveness. Oh, how I can testify! So those songs are useful for those in that season. And He is always a loving, comforting Father. But once His forgiveness is received, we should no longer remain in that cycle. We are no longer identified as "sinners." We can move on to that which His forgiveness gains for us.
Here's what happened this morning. I saw a song title that sounded really strong and confident and potentially full of true Kingdom revelation. (I was very wrong.) I opened it on YouTube and began to listen, hopeful. The singer said something about running to His throne room, sung in a sort of desperation. I thought about how these people are already Christians. If we're seated with Christ at the right hand of the Father, positioned in a position of authority by His side in the throne room, why ought we be out there running for it, hoping to make it, again, and again, and again?
I'm not trying to be contrary, trust me. Sometimes holding a line you know is right can feel exhausting. But I love the Truth, and I'm always after the Father's purpose and His heart.
If He says we are seated with Christ at His right hand, but the current Christian theme is that we still need Him to forgive us and accept us every day or after we feel bad or messed up (which we all do), then who's right? If He says we're clothed in Christ's righteousness and have business to do under His authority, but the current Christian theme is that we're still naught but lowly sinners, who's right? (Of course, these are rhetorical questions. He's right! He always is.)
As uncomfortable as it has made me feel to accept that I can be fully healed and effective and positioned with my brother, Yahshua, I've had to trust His word over my feelings and say to my soul (that is, my mind and my emotions), "Soul! You will line up with the truth of your God! You will accept the responsibility of forgiveness. You will accept the responsibility of walking healed. You will accept the responsibility of being a son whom He has made whole in Him." So as soothing as it sometimes feels in the moment to really feel my bad day or bad circumstances and ask Jesus to come fix it for me, I realize that my salvation relationship must grow from glory to glory, and that there comes a time when the baby must grow beyond milk and become the capable being who can handle meat, putting away childish things, growing up in Him.
If you don't know Yahweh, I'm not talking to you, but I will say this: seek Him, run to Him, ask Him to speak to you and listen for it, because He absolutely will. It will be the best decision you ever make.
But if you do know Him, and if you still feel like you're running to the throne room to visit there, rather than abide, change your perspective to His. Don't let the lie dilute His truth about you any more. He wants to do mighty things through you, not just through the church leaders who are "supposed to" do that kind of stuff. He is no respecter of persons. His promises are for "whosoever will."
It makes me giddy to think about what will ensue when the church realizes, collectively, who we are. Can you picture it? Right now much of the church and most outsiders see it like this: A tired, repentant believer facing the Father with a posture of one undeserving but so grateful and receiving His forgiveness and grace and goodness once again.
But what about this?...: A son or a daughter of strength; grace, peace, confidence, and power in his countenance; posture of royalty; clothed in finery; crowned; standing with the Father and the Son; all facing the same direction, after the same purpose. Then imagine hundreds, thousands, millions, billions of such sons and daughters standing with the Father, having received life from Him, saying, "I've come to do your will, Yahweh." Which picture do you think truly honors the Father? If you're a parent, which one would please you? From Yahweh's perspective, if He did in fact send His one son to die and defeat death to purchase forgiveness for our sins, Holy Spirit empowerment in our lives, and the right to become sons of God, what do you think His heart longs for?
I know where I am. And the responsibility to stand there and to say the hard things it requires me to say, to challenge the status quo, is something I will not fear but will embrace.
...including the joy of writing my own worship songs.
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