A few posts back, I wrote about a little girl named Emma who had given Dad a thank you for being her pastor. Well, this morning Emma influenced me yet again during church. Emma's in middle school, so she's a member of the Junior Choir at church. This morning, the choir sang for special music. Emma and three other girls sang an opening song and later sang two more variations of Amazing Grace right before the sermon.
Emma is well-known at church for her very loud singing voice. The blonde-haired, blue-eyed, girl belts out every word of the hymns like it's the final note in the Hallelujah Chorus. Naturally, singing in front of the church is the same. With three other soft, airy singers, Emma's rougher, much louder voice carried. She sang the words to a doctrine-heavy song and the beloved hymn variations with a passion that stunned me. The congregation had just finished singing one of the morning hymns, which I had half-sung while jumping around between alto and soprano, in a methodical manner, singing the words without considering meaning. Emma's singing made me value each line in both the first, unfamiliar song, and the classic hymn.
Emma's intensity convicted me for my own struggles with robot-like worship. There have been too many sermons, hymns, and responsive readings that I've sat, sung, and read through without much engagement. Sometimes, I have even sat through entire services thinking about my afternoon or week plans. I will walk out of the church building neither reflecting on nor recalling anything talked about in the Lord's temple.
As Christians, we are required to set apart ONE day to be entirely devoted to God. Now, of course, all of our lives--so, every day--ought to be devoted to God through work, play, rest, etc... However, ONE day is required as a day of rest..a sabbath to the Lord our God. Sometimes only a couple hours of that day are even dedicated to God, while at church in the morning and evening. And yet, I don't even engage in those couple hours.
Emma's passionate engagement in worshiping her Savior reminded me of the ultimate goal of living: to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.
So, a lesson from me, a constantly convicted sinner saved only by the grace of God: Truly engaging in the worship of our Lord and Creator is indeed a Christian act required of us in order to glorify and enjoy our Father as He has created and commanded us to do.
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