Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Sacrifice Or Submit
So, Sunday I am in church and we start singing this little ditty.
That set me to thinking about modern church music and mega-churches and so forth. I have been talking about how the church demands little of its attendees with a few friends lately and they are quick to respond with "This mega-church Y requires members to sacrifice X time a week" Fair emough, but God calls for more from us that sacrifice of time or talent.
God calls us to submit - EVERYTHING - to Him. Sacrifice is insufficient. Granted, the idea of submission has been grossly abused in some more authoritative church settings, but that does not deny its importance. When people can set a budget around their sacrifice, its not much of a sacrifce, really.
God calls us to utter self-denial, and until the church preaches that particular portion of the gospel, we are not doing what we should be.
Related Tags: Christianity, praise, church, mega-church, hymns, songs, sacrifice, submission
And I will give You all my worshipYou probably know it. I was struck, quite suddenly, by the absurdity of those lyrics, they read like I am somehow according to God His worthiness and His Kingship. We do not make God who He is. Praise is about God, not us. Note the words "I," and "my" and how they are repeated over and over. It seems to me that genuine praise might start there, but that those words would soon leave the lexicon of praise.
I will give You all my praise
You alone I long to worship
You alone are worthy of my praise
I will worship (I will worship)
With all of my heart (With all of my heart)
And I will praise You (I will praise You)
With all of my strength (All my strength)
I will seek You (I will seek You)
All of my days (All of my days)
And I will follow (I will follow)
Follow all of Your ways (All Your ways)
I will bow down (I will bow down)
And hail You as King (Hail You as King)
I will serve you (I will serve You)
Give You everything (Give You everything)
I will lift up (I will lift up)
My eyes to Your throne (My eyes to Your throne)
And I will trust You (I will trust You)
I will trust You alone(Trust in You alone)
That set me to thinking about modern church music and mega-churches and so forth. I have been talking about how the church demands little of its attendees with a few friends lately and they are quick to respond with "This mega-church Y requires members to sacrifice X time a week" Fair emough, but God calls for more from us that sacrifice of time or talent.
God calls us to submit - EVERYTHING - to Him. Sacrifice is insufficient. Granted, the idea of submission has been grossly abused in some more authoritative church settings, but that does not deny its importance. When people can set a budget around their sacrifice, its not much of a sacrifce, really.
God calls us to utter self-denial, and until the church preaches that particular portion of the gospel, we are not doing what we should be.
Related Tags: Christianity, praise, church, mega-church, hymns, songs, sacrifice, submission
