July 21, 2003
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There are merits to not being musically inclined.
I've always been semi-frustrated at the handicap of being slightly tone-deaf. Sometimes I feel lesser of a person & out of the loop, because I haven't a clue how to judge if someone has musical talent or not.
On Sunday I realized that it's a blessing. I've listened to some of you talk about how when someone is not playing in rhythm, it distracts you from worship. That doesn't really happen to me. I can follow along, sing the songs, mean the words... and rejoice in God's presence no matter how good or bad the music is b/c I simply can't tell!
What makes a difference to me though are the words. If I don't mean what I'm singing or if I don't believe the words, I refuse to sing. If the words speak truth, even if I don't feel it, I will always sing with fervor.
The worship leaders also make a difference to me. Sometimes when I know that those worship leaders don't mean what they are singing - ever - that distracts me. What I mean by "ever" is that they have no true desire to live out those words they are singing.
But I can understand how your musical knowledge hampers your worship. It's the same way that my knowledge of the Bible hampers my jugment of sermons. It bothers me when the preacher is preaching a sermon that means nothing to him. It bothers me when the Scriptures don't come alive to him. It bothers me when he has no fresh insight. Preaching eloquently is not the same as having the annointing of God. My understanding of this hampers my worship.
What naturally distracts you? How do you keep yourself from being distracted?
Comments (5)
I can relate to you, MaryAnn. I was actually thinking similar thing this past Sunday, since I also heard a lot of discussions about worship lately. I really enjoyed the worship this Sunday -- I didn't care much about any mistakes in the tones of rhythms (Since I am also not muscially inclined, so I couldn't pick it out anyways). But I also care a lot about the words -- I love songs that reflect about who God is, and songs taht reflect my own heart and/or hearts of our congregation to our God -- after all, we are more than just individuals, but we are also "one" in Christ. I love it when we can sing together & worship God together in spirit & in truth
I love enjoying music. Thats why I'm glad that I can't pick out all the mistakes in worship and mixes. More power to the tone deaf! haha... the True appreciators and true worshippers.
What distracts me in church: Speakers who stutter, mutter, or can't express themselves coherently.
Everything distracts me. Hahaha. Especially if I know the leaders personally and they aren't living a life that I think leaders should live. Pastors, worship leaders, deacons, if they aren't living lives that are true to what they preach, it distracts me. Which brings up a point, should that be the case? I have to focus it down to myself and God in order to worship. Conciously putting aside those distractions is difficult but needed in order to worship. Then again, worship is supposed to be corporate, so the lives of every person in the congregation does effect the worship. Oh man, church is in trouble. hahaha.
cute picture. nice site.
how do u know when a worship leader doesn't mean what he's singing, Mary Ann?
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