The Wading Pool

Words matter.

The things we say, write, tweet, text, email, smoke signal…they matter.  The way in which we say them matters, the way in which they are interpreted matters, the medium they’re shared in, you guessed it, matters.

And just like all those different forms of communication, the songs we sing matter…especially the songs we sing at church.  And while much could be (and has been) written about the theological content of the songs we sing at church, that’s not my point today.  Today, I want us to think about one thing:

Do we mean what we sing?

Take a few moments and consider that.  Think back over the songs you sang during church this past Sunday.  Can you remember them?  Can you remember the words?

Now think about this:  did you mean them when you sang them?

I ask because this hit me square in the face this past Sunday.  There is a beautiful song by Hillsong called “Savior King.”  It has become one of our favorites at our church.  It’s a song we sing as kind of a dedication of ourselves to the Lord.  Some of the lyrics say “We love you, Lord…we worship You…You are our God…You alone are good.”

Beautiful…wonderful song of worship. So what got me?

The ending chorus changes lyrics several times, going through the Lord carrying the cross for us, to the point where we sing these words:

“I give my life…to honor this…the love of Christ…the Savior King.”

Now, I’ve sang that many, many times during worship at our church, and on my own.  But this time, those words hit me square in the face like a slap.

In the middle of worship, the images of my brothers and sisters around the world came to my mind.  These men and women, these children of God, who were, at that very moment, being persecuted, being beaten, and even dying for their faith in Christ.  I’m sure most of them have never sang the song we sang, but more than that, they were living out the words we were singing.

It shook me.  We could worship that day, and every day,  freely, loudly, exuberantly!  But do we mean it?  If called upon to do that very thing, to give our life for the love of Christ, would we?  Would I?

Easy to say.  Easy to sing.  To do…I can’t answer that.  My brothers and sisters around the world can.  And they have.

So next time you’re at church, whether tomorrow night or Sunday, or any time…consider the words you’re singing.  They aren’t just words…these are songs of confession, of adoration, of praise.  These songs are our attempt to sing what we believe, to encourage one another, to declare the greatness of our God and the salvation He bought by His blood.  They are not just songs.

And next time you sing…ask yourself…do you mean it?