For almost three years now I have been writing this regular note. It has been a very profitable exercise for me because it forces me to think about worship and compose those thoughts into a compact form. The thoughts have been about our services in particular and the life of worship in general. But I am entering a New Year and am assessing the value of some of my commitments. In that process I came to this. I wanted to give you an opportunity to let me know if it is something that is beneficial to you, which would require reading it of course. I wondered if anyone has visited the blog where the entries can be found. Are there any suggestions you might have? Maybe the Lord wants to use you to help me reshape this tool.
As I considered requesting your input, I realized that some of you have been grafted in to this local church family or our worship ministries since this all began, so the history and background of why I do this might prove helpful. I have borrowed some of my own words from that first entry in 2005 to shape your thoughts…
TUESDAY TUNINGS
As I considered what to call this ongoing project, I wanted to pattern it after Pastor David’s in as many ways as possible. The day of the week on which it will be generated and a summation of the actual body of work were foundational to this concept. I wanted a different day of the week, and preferred earlier so as to come before rehearsals on Wednesday, and give more time to ponder before Sunday. I am not in my study on Monday, but Tuesday also meets the aforementioned demands while also providing time to reflect on the previous Sunday while it is still a fresh memory. Thus, TUESDAY.
Then in addition to the summation of the work, THOUGHTS for Pastor David, I liked the whole alliteration thing. Actually, I got hung up on it for a time, until my Lord delivered me. I am certain you all can understand what I am talking about as you consider your own personality strengths, which can become weaknesses if not managed well. Anyway, as I was reflecting on the name of this project about a year ago [2004], the Lord brought the text of the hymn “Come Thou Fount” to mind. Particularly the first stanza.
Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace;
Streams of mercy never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet, Sung by flaming tongues above;
Praise His name-I’m fixed upon it-Name of God’s redeeming love.
The Holy Spirit quickened my mind to the first phrase in particular. Come, Thou Fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace; My prayer through considering this ministry communication tool was indeed that God would use it (Come) and prepare our hearts (Tune) to communicate the fullness of Who He is. In those moments, I believed the Lord clarified this vision, through the words of the hymnist. I am certain a similar thing has happened to many of You. {Thank You, Lord for speaking to us in a variety of ways.} I want God to tune our hearts to sing of His matchless and glorious grace, and I will do whatever it takes for me to help you in that, in obedience to my Lord’s command. Thus, TUNINGS.
As we begin and continue this journey together, may our Lord Jesus, come and tune our hearts to sing loud songs of praise like the angels above to the glory of His grace and His redeeming love…
So share your evaluation with me. Is it helpful? Is it useful? Is it worth the time I spend crafting and sending it? I really want to know. Please speak the truth, in love of course. A simple reply should suffice. What the tuning does for me each week is to help me see a smaller snapshot of what God is doing right now, God’s fingerprints on this ministry. I am expecting Him to bring clarity through this process through you.
For those of you who read expecting an encouragement for your life of worship here is a devotional thought I received last week that I found particularly beneficial. It might help you answer why we sing new songs, in a fresh way. I know it will for me.
Psalm 144:7, 9
Reach down your hand from on high; deliver me and rescue me... I will sing a new song to you, O God. NAS
Have you ever noticed how many times in the book of Psalms it speaks about singing a new song? What are some of the reasons why we need to sing a new song? I believe there’s one in that passage that I’ve just quoted: Every new deliverance calls forth a new song.
So as we go through life, from time to time we find ourselves in the situation where we have to call out to God for deliverance, but out of that deliverance there comes a new song. We learn something new about God, there’s a new depth in our experience and to give true and adequate expression to that new revelation and that new depth, the Holy Spirit gives us a new song. Sometimes it’s a song in a language we know; sometimes it’s a song in an unknown language.
But remember, a time of need is going to be followed by deliverance, and deliverance is going to call forth a new song. And when that deliverance comes don’t try to go back to some old song but be ready for the Holy Spirit to give you a new song that appropriately expresses the new truth, the new revelation, the new blessing that you’ve received out of that new deliverance.
So bear that in mind as you go through this path of life, a new deliverance calls forth a new song given by the Holy Spirit. - Derek Prince
In Christ,
Pastor Scott
No comments:
Post a Comment