"I Was Here"

I've been listening to Lady Antebellum lately. If you're not familiar with this trio, I encourage you to check them out. Yes, it's country, but they are putting out some really good music. I love groups with tight harmonies, and these three have it.

Not only do they have great harmonies, but they have some songs with some very profound lyrics. "I Was Here" (proper English aside) has hit home for me lately. Here's a sample of what the song has to say...

I wanna do something that matters, say something different,
something that sets the whole world on it's ear.
I wanna do something better, with the time I've been given
And I wanna try to touch a few hearts in this life
and leave nothing less than something that says I was here

For those who know me, you know I've been struggling with my job lately. Not so much with my specific job (which is driving me nuts), but with the sense that I should be doing something more with my life than living in a cubicle in front of a computer. I guess I'm still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up, but I fear I may have missed my chance to do something about it.

The bigger problem for me is that I kinda know what I'd like to do, but sadly realize that it's likely never going to happen. I also know what I'd like to do if money were no object, which would afford me the chance to give it a shot with no consequence of losing my house or other such things. Again, it's unlikely to ever come to pass.

Sadly, I realize that I have a very limited skill set, and have become accustomed to a certain salary range (which has been pretty much the same for the last 7 years, which is equally depressing), and that my opportunities to affect the world through my vocation are practically non-existent. I can't help but think that there's got to be more to life...more to my life...than IT in the insurance industry.

Sorry, my first post in almost two months should probably be more uplifting than this, but I prmised myself that I woudl be honest in these posts. I thank you for bearing with me!

Undignified

I have to be honest, I struggle with the term “Worship Leader.” Worship, while an action, is also a lifestyle. We were created by the Almighty for the sole purpose of worshipping Him. Worship is not something that someone else can lead or direct. It has to come from within. It has to be a personal desire and requires individual dedication.

We have many different vehicles to express our worship. Singing, prayer, giving of our tithes and offerings…these are all ways we can express our worship. These are the ways we magnify His holiness. These are the ways we offer up our praises to him.

So while I contemplate how best to identify exactly what it is that we do on most Sunday mornings from the platform, I am confident that the use of music is one of the purest expressions of our praise offerings to Him. Down through the ages, we have been blessed with amazing God-inspired songs, from the hymns of our fathers to the choruses of today. Music has always been a primary vehicle to magnify the Lord. The Bible says “God inhabits the praise of His people” (Psalms 22:3). When we praise the Lord, when we magnify His name, God inhabits us, individually and collectively. The praises we offer are powerful and deserving of our best effort.

In recent years, there has been one song, more than any other, that I feel provides us with a glimpse of how we should approach the business of praising God. The song is titled “Undignifed.” It has been recorded by a number of artists – David Crowder Band, Matt Redman and Chris Tomlin to name a few. This is a song that I would love to see us start to put into regular rotation here at Immanuel. Some of you know the song, though I suspect many of you may not. The lyrics are simple. They are straight from the Word of God. And they are, perhaps, some of the more challenging words put to music in recent history.

I will dance, I will sing. To be mad for my King.
Nothing, Lord, is hindering the passion in my soul.

And I’ll become even more undignified than this.
Though some may say it’s foolishness
I’ll become even more undignified than this.
Leave my pride by my side.

It’s all for You, my Lord!

It’s appropriate that this song focuses on the words of David, because I suspect this is the kind of song David would have written. David was a man who understood the role of praise in the lifestyle of worship. David let nothing stand between him and his pure, uninhibited and passionate praise of his King. He didn’t care who was watching, didn’t care what others thought. His only concern was that the praise he offered was pleasing to God.

And there’s the challenge we all face. Is our praise pleasing to God? Do we focus solely on offering ourselves to God, caring not what others think of how we accomplish that? Praise is not passive. It requires action. It requires us to separate ourselves from our surroundings and present ourselves at the foot of the throne. It requires us to leave our egos at the door. It requires us to discard our fears and our concerns of what others may think of us. It requires us to lavish our praise upon God Almighty as if we were the only ones doing so.

In some cases, it might even require physical action – clapping or applauding God, raising hands, shouting a joyful noise. Sometimes, it requires us to quiet ourselves before the Lord, to be still and listen. But even then, we are still required to give our entire being to the task of magnifying the Lord.

The argument can be made that praising God is not something to be done passively and meekly. If we truly believe that God is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, how can we dare to praise His name with quiet, self-conscious whispers? Praise is a sacrifice of self in order to magnify the Holy One.

Can you imagine what it will be like when we get to heaven? I cannot wait to part of the gazillion voices offering my loudest praises for an audience of One!

This song definitely Makes The Playlist!

Auld Lang Syne

Okay, so as I'm standing in the living room of the Patton's at the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve (as has been our tradition for many years now), I find myself listening to the masses gathered at Times Square (on the TV, of course) singing "Auld Lang Syne." It occurred to me that this is one of those songs that I know very little about, and I've decided to investigate some more.

The little that I did know about the song, always made me think that it was a rather morose and sorrowful song, not the kind of thing you sing to celebrate the new beginning of a new new year, and all the hope that comes along with it. Here are the lyrics - at least as I thought I knew them...

Should old acquaintance be forgot, and never brought to mind?
Should old acquaintance be forgot, and days of auld lang syne.
For auld lang syne, my dear, for auld lang syne,
we'll take a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne.

I always thought this song was encouraging us to remember those who've we've lost touch with over the year, either through death or just simple lack of communications. But not only that we've lost touch with them, but to remind ourselves that we've lost touch with them. I suppose it could be taken as a means to encourage us to try to rekindle the lines of communication, which might be a more positive spin, but the song always depresses me.

So I decided to look into the song a little more, and thanks to Wikipedia, here's what I've learned...

There are actually 5 verses to the song, which was originally a poem by Scottish poet Robert Burns, written in 1788. It can loosely be translated into English as "long time since" or "long, long ago." It is a poem of remembrance, but not of a sorrowful memory, but of a joyful fondness, remembering the times spent and shared with friends and family upon the reunion of said parties. The song actually seems to be about the chance to reunite with those we've lost touch with over the years.

So, I guess this song is not nearly as morose as I originally thought, and perhaps during this new year, I will be able to take advantage of the lyrics and reunite with loved ones who I've lost contact with. So, for those who I've shared times with in the days of auld lang syne, I wish you a prosperous New Year, and one of reconnection and lasting friendships.