Do you actively participate in the songs that are led in worship? Do you really sing from the heart? Do you make it a priority to understand what you sing? Do you understand the importance of what you are doing when you sing?
God has given us the command to sing when we gather together for worship on the first day of the week. And, what wonderful singing we have here! You do understand that a beautiful voice is not a requirement in order to sing songs of praise to God, don’t you? And, you do understand that each one of us is to pour our hearts out in singing to the Lord, don’t you? And, you do understand that when you do not participate that you are not worshipping, don’t you?
Two basic passages concerning our singing in corporate worship reveal much about what God expects from us in our singing to Him in worship. They are…
Ephesians 5.19 “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord.”
Colossians 3.16 “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
From these passages we glean several important points about our singing in worship. Note the following…
We are to “speak.” (say, talk, done with the mouth)
We are to “sing.” (convey thoughts by using words set to music, done with the mouth)
We are to “teach.” (give instructions, done with the mouth)
We are to “admonish.” (put in the mind, warn, done with the mouth)
All of this is to be done “in your heart.” (that phrase is found in both verses!)
So, when we sing praises to God on the first day of the week, let us remember that it takes our active participation from the heart. Just as well, we should also remember that God is the Audience and we are the participants!
Think about it.
Kevin Williams