Would You Like To Dance?
I used to be a part of a particular church group that frowned upon playing musical instruments 'in church'.
Only singing was allowed when I was a member of this group; I think their policy may have changed since in some parts of this part of the body of Christ.
The singing was beautiful and inspiring.
Every time we'd gather for 'church', some very gifted and talented solo singers and choir songs were guaranteed to be heard.
When some church members began to question the disallowance of musical instruments to accompany the singing, these questions sometime were thwarted with certain passages of Scripture.
Other times, the tradition of the church never having musical instruments was the answer.
I understood that a fear of the 'worship service' would become a time of entertainment instead of a time of expressing joy in a public setting.
The internet is full of heart-felt songs, with or without instruments, that are quite amazing and inspiring.
You can also find videos of people 'performing', or possibly shining brighter than the praise they seem to be expressing.
Perhaps some instances, online or in a church group setting, is about people finding purpose among the family of believers; finding their role, their expression, their place in the greater body of Christ.
And aside from the various ways that a 'church service' or 'worship service' is conducted around the world among a plethora of church groups, either regimentally organized or loosely gathered, a constant thread can be realized.
We were created and made to praise God.
And praising God is realized in a variety of methods and manners.
One does not have to be a professional singer or have a beautiful voice to sing to God or sing about His glory.
One also does not have to be an expert musician to qualify as someone who can express their heart's desire in praising the Lord.
Yet, these are the aims: to express His gifts and talents bestowed upon His creation as best you can.
You were created and made to shine like a light.
And the manner His creation expresses their gratitude and love for God is reflected in words, singing, music, dance... and so much more.
Sing joyfully to the Lord, you righteous;
it is fitting for the upright to praise Him.
Praise the Lord with the harp;
make music to Him on the ten-stringed lyre.
Sing to Him a new song;
play skillfully, and shout for joy.
- Psalm 33: 1-3Notice that the instrument mentioned is a ten-stringed instrument.
The west knows of the popular six-string guitar, while the east knows of the sitar with up to 21 strings!
And there are thousands of musical instruments in between, from the past and Today, with more or less strings or different mechanisms that produce sound.
Other ways to praise, worship and pray to God occurs in the manner you treat others.
Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the Name of our Lord Yeshua Christ.
- Ephesians 5: 18b-20God hears, sees and knows all things.
In serving and edifying others we also praise the Lord.
The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of Mine, you did for Me.
- Matthew 25: 40Sadly, there may always be those who think that praising and worshiping God is to be done according to their own interpretation of praise and worship.
Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.
As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.
- 2 Samuel 6: 13-16And not all people will be satisfied seeing someone express their heart's content before God and man regarding the good things God has done for them.
God sees and hears your prayers, even the inaudible ones; the ones you are speaking in your heart and mind but cannot find the words to verbally express.
As she kept on praying to the Lord, Eli observed her mouth. Hannah was praying in her heart, and her lips were moving but her voice was not heard. Eli thought she was drunk and said to her, “How long are you going to stay drunk? Put away your wine.”
“Not so, my lord,” Hannah replied, “I am a woman who is deeply troubled. I have not been drinking wine or beer; I was pouring out my soul to the Lord.”
- 1 Samuel 1: 12-15
Praise the Lord in thought, word, deed and from your heart... for He is great and He is good.
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