Good morning. In Ephesians 5:18-21 we are commanded to worship together in a very powerful way:
… be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.
While there are many wonderful ideas in this command for worship, I would like to draw our attention to one in particular: singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart.
We are to sing together, and we are to sing for one another as well as for the Lord. We are to sing in Psalms, and in hymns, and with spiritual songs.
As we read the last command regarding our songs, that we are to “sing and make melody with your heart”, I wonder about the implications.
The most talented musicians are able to write, sing, play instruments, and in various ways perform their music. We admire their God granted talents and we appreciate that they are able to share them with us. But we should be clear about this one thing: no matter how fine the music may be, no matter how expertly it might be performed and shared, if it is not coming from the heart,it is less than it could and should be.
I lack the words to properly explain this differnece of worship music that is “from the heart“, but that’s all right. I am quite sure we all know the truth of it. We know how it feels to be a part of worship that is “well performed” but is not “heart felt”. Hopefully, we have also been a part of worship that is excellent because it is genuine, meaning that it comes “from the heart“. The difference can be as obvious as night from day.
No matter the song or the style, may your songs of worship come from your heart today. Worship from the heart is worship in spirit and in truth, and that is worship which touches the heart of God.
Vern