Wednesday, November 28, 2007

SOMETHING ABOUT THEM HYMNS

This past Tuesday in our staff meeting we had an unusual experience. After looking at the prayer requests and talking about some of the physical, financial, and spiritual needs we have in our group and church body, we began to worship the Lord. Somehow we started singing one of the old hymns -- and the river opened up. We sang hymn after hymn, and the tears began to flow. It was an awesome time with the Lord...one of those soul-cleansing times.

I began to think, Why does it seem that when one of the hymns that I sang in my childhood is sung I am stirred so deeply inside? Could it be the familiarity of the song? Could it be the nostaglia of days gone by? Could it be a special touch of God's Spirit upon the song? Could it just be the moment of time in which we were singing?

As I reflected back on the morning I had a strong sense that it was all of the above. Many of the hymns were written out of emotional times of deep need in the writers' lives. They emit, as the Greeks would say, "pathos, ethos and logos." The passion and emotion in which we sing these familiar songs enables us to connect with God on a deeper level.

Now don't get me wrong. I love the praise and worship of our generation. But something about this experience on Tuesday really got me thinking about what "good worship" really means. Good worship is connecting with God... and I connected with God this week in a very cool and unexpected way, and I loved it....

Get alone with God sometime this week and allow him to touch your emotions. He is the healer of your heart and He loves to hear you sing....

5 comments:

Dave said...

it was awesome!

Anonymous said...

This is actually not a comment relevant to your sermon or anything on your blog. My family and I are searching for new church, and we have visited your church twice. I do have a question for you though. What is your and/or City Church's official stand on the doctrine of eternl security? Thank you.

P.S. I don't have a web page, but my email address is as4meandmyhouse790@yahoo.com

Saperna said...

Wow I love the old songs. Yesterday at Church just singing "Jesus, Jesus" just made me cry. Those songs were written with meaning.

Anonymous said...

Yes, worship, there is nothing like it here on earth. In worship you can "only imagine" what it's like in heaven with the King! We have great worship here at CC!

Anonymous said...

Hi City church

We love your website and are learning lots of stuff from the pastors corner. Thank you Pastor eugene for your support and thank you CC for supporting finacially in our ministry.

With So much love
Your missionaries from Namibia
Derek, Esther and Little Ryan