Singing From Our Heads
It’s Sunday morning. You get yourself up, get your kids up (if you have kids), start the coffee, make breakfast, clean yourself up, throw on some clothes, dress the monsters (*cough* kids) who are running around the house, load everyone in the car, and pull into the church parking lot right as service is supposed to start. You drop the kids off for children’s ministry, say hi to a couple of people as you pass, grab another coffee in the lobby, and walk into church in the middle of the second song. Of course, the “early birds”, are there already singing along. The only logical thing to do is to look up at the screens and sing with everyone else.
I think if you're being honest, in these situations, you’re not really paying attention to what you’re singing. You’re just singing because the words are there and you don’t want to look like the only person not singing. Heck, you might even be mouthing the words or pretending to sing, but not even doing it. I would call this singing from our heads. We do this in the car with catchy songs, but probably never even pay attention to the lyrics or message of the song. Seriously, go back and look at the lyrics of some of your favorite songs throughout your life and you’ll probably be a little surprised. The problem here is that is not what worship songs are about. They’re not being performed on the stage to inflate the egos of the people singing. They’re about joining in worship to the God who created all things. The One who deserves our full attention and praise.
Singing From Our Hearts
The Bible is very clear that God does not need our praise. He desires our praise and wants us to glorify Him, but the truth is that all of creation points to His majesty. This is evident as Jesus rides into Jerusalem for “Palm Sunday” as we remember it. The Pharisees tell Jesus to rebuke the people for crying out to Him as king, and His response, “I tell you the truth, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out” (Luke 19:40 ESV). The implication here is not that the rocks would literally shout but that they would, in some way, bring glory to Him in that moment. Psalm 148 is another chapter filled with imagery of God’s creation crying out praise to its perfect Creator. I won’t go through all that, but take a moment and check it out when you can.
I say all this because I believe there’s a huge disservice being done during worship when we treat it with such a mindless response. Worship as a whole is an opportunity for us to respond to God and the things He is doing in and through our lives. Although it is far from limited to singing, for this blog, that’s the lens I want us to view it through. With this in mind, I bring you back into the room during service and as the songs are being sung, I recognize that I am not just singing words. I am literally joining in with hundreds of believers in this space, not to mention the hundreds of thousands, if not millions who are lifting up songs of praise before the Lord during this time around the world. Not just singing because I’m supposed to, but because in a posture of surrender, humility, reverence, amazement, awe, and wonder, I am singing shouts of praise to the God who created the heavens and the earth. I’m singing to a risen Savior, the Conqueror of death, the King of kings, Lord of lords, my Healer, Redeemer, Provider, Sustainer, and Friend.
Gratitude
As we shift our view on worship from our heads to our hearts, the songs begin to hit differently. It’s less about reading the screen and more about connecting with Christ in that moment. This is why I love to worship in this way. I recognize God’s graces and mercies poured out in my life more than I could even begin to count, and I’m left in awe. It’s one of the reasons I love the song Gratitude by Brandon Lake so much. When I stop to look at the words and think about what it means in my own life, my heart becomes overwhelmed with gratitude. While I could sit here and go line by line through the song with you, I don’t want to do that. What I’d like is for you to take a moment here and listen to the song. After you’re done, come back here and we’ll look at some nuggets of truth. From there, I’d like to share a big reason this song is dear to my heart. Lastly, I want you to listen to it again and think about your heart's response to God in this song.
You can listen to it here:
Breakdown
Throughout the song, there is recognition that in and of ourselves, the very best we have to offer God pails in comparison to what He has done for us. We’re reminded that all we have to say, sing, and offer falls short and we’re left with a question of how we should express our gratitude to God. As it continues there is the idea of continuing to sing the songs and lift up these praises, but at the end of the day, these songs of praise we have will end, but He never does. While the lyrics are about singing, the idea is that we’re giving God the best we have, knowing He still deserves so much more. That leaves us recognizing that our response to God is more than just song. It’s more than just going through the motions. It’s truly responding to him with lives and a heart of worship.
Romans 12:1 says, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship.” True worship comes from a humble heart and posture of surrender (Psalm 95:6). First, we recognize God’s love and faithfulness in our lives, regardless of the circumstances (Psalm 18:3). We then acknowledge that, by giving Him praise (Psalm 96:9), knowing that His love is not what we deserve (Romans 6:23). When we do this, we see all the things going on around us with a different perspective and it shifts our hearts to the place that sings in awe of the Lord.
My Heart
The bridge says, “So come on my soul, oh, don't you get shy on me; Lift up your song, 'cause you've got a lion inside of those lungs; Get up and praise the Lord,”
As most songs go, there is typically a bridge. A moment in the song connects one part to another, but may also provide an opportunity to move in a different direction. In Gratitude, the bridge is the part of this song that resounds with me every time I hear it. Our daughter Emma, was diagnosed with autism at only two years old. One area that she struggles with is speech. This past September she turned six years old and was still considered non-verbal. Although she had a few words she could repeat, she had little to no functional language. I have spent countless hours, days, nights, weeks, months, and years praying for Emma to be able to talk. To hear her voice. All this time believing that God is going to use her and her struggles, even though I don’t know how.
Every time I sang this song and every time I still sing this song, the bridge stirs my heart. I’m reminded that even though Emma was unable to talk, God is filling her lungs with the power to praise Him. I have never stopped praying and believing that God would do this and shortly after her sixth birthday, Emma began to speak. At first, it was just some simple words, water or help. More and more words came though, and more recently, phrases. So, as I sing the song Gratitude, it means even more to me. I’m truly overwhelmed with gratitude for God’s faithfulness. Not because He has allowed Emma to speak, but because He’s carried me through the whole time. That He even brought Emma into my life, to be her dad. I know that her story is not over and God has far greater plans for her life than I can begin to imagine and I want to give Him my worship as I follow Him and lead the family He has blessed me with.
Your Response
As you hear this song, what stirs in your heart? What are you grateful for that God has done in and through your life? How has He blessed you, even when you didn’t deserve it? Have you truly given Him thanks for what He’s done? How can this perspective change the way you worship, in your life, and in your singing?
Take these questions to heart and I pray that you are able to worship from a posture of surrender.
