Shannon O’Dell, Pastor at Brand New Church in Arkansas posted the following comment on his Facebook page – “Do I love worship music?  Or do I love worshiping God with worship music?” and it really got me to thinking.  I hope it will get you to thinking also!

I hear people all of the time talking about I love the old hymns, or I love contemporary, or I love whatever, but the real issue is not what you love, but what you worship.  The sad reality in our churches today is that most people love a style of music more than they love God!  When we worship a style music, we are tempted to miss the opportunity to worship God with music whatever the style may happen to be.

I personally don’t think God is seated on the throne saying:  “I just love a strong pipe organ!”, “I love a roll on the drums!” or “I love a good rip on a Fender!”  I do think  God is seated on the throne saying “I really do love it when they worship me with all of their heart!”

If we are honest, we have all missed opportunity to really express our love to and for God through worship, because we were caught up in our own selfish preferences about the style or sound of the music.  Think about it, ask yourself the question and let God help you to get it right for His glory!

Do you love a certain style of music more than you love worshipping God, because if you do, then it’s an idol in your life and God can’t stand idols!

Let’s get honest, so that when we join together for worship at our churches, music does not become a stumbling block, but a stepping stone to Giving God Glory!

I have a real problem!  I think I have finally realized something that God has been trying to show me and teach me about for a very long time.  I tend to get distracted by what I can see, which causes me to miss seeing what is unseen.  I let the physical get in the way of the spiritual!

As a follower of Christ, the goal is not what can be seen by most everybody else, but the goal is what is unseen by most everybody else.  Anyone can see the obvious, but it takes a real dedicated and consecrated child of God to see the unseen.  God created me to see the unseen.  God saved me to see the unseen!  God called and gifted me to see the unseen.

I will not and cannot be satisfied with what I can see, because after all of these years of seeing, it has never been enough to satisfy.  The seen always leaves me empty and wanting more!  So I begin a new journey out of what I can see, into the what I can’t see and I can’t wait to see what God has to show me!

“We do not focus on what is seen, but on what is unseen; for what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”  2 Corinthians 4:18  (More to come!)

It is absolutely amazing to me that God the Creator and Sustainer of life would want to have a personal relationship with me!  I know He created me and I know He loves me, but it is still crazy to me that He would want a relationship with me, because I know me and I don’t even want to have a relationship with myself sometimes!

I know me!  I know that my selfish ambition and spiritual apathy sometimes get in the way of the relationship and steal my passion for Him!  I know that I am a sinner, who misses the mark.  I know I do things I shouldn’t do and I fail to do things that I should do!  I know me and I know that I am not worthy of being loved the way God loves me, but I also know God and I know that He loves me regardless!

I know God and I know that He initiates a change of heart in me that drives me to desire for a closer relationship with Him.  He points out the ways in me that get in the way of our relationship and His Holy Spirit convicts me of sin, not so that I will feel guilty, but so that I can get free!

When I confess my sin and seek restoration, God is always right there ready and waiting!  He always shows me the way to a better place of relationship with Him.  God often takes the initiative to set our relationship right by giving us a change of heart!  How amazing is that?

No matter how many times we wander away, God is always right here waiting to take us back and restore us into a right relationship with Him!  Simply amazing!  Don’t take it for granted and don’t put it off.  Embrace your change of heart and make your way back to Him – you will be glad you did!