Worship Defined: Lead Me to the Cross

I want to paint a picture for you: hundreds of Christians standing in a worship center at some revival or another singing their hearts out to Christ. They are singing powerful, moving words. Unfortunately, many times, the words are not taken to heart. The meaning of the words they are singing are not resonating in their hearts.

This is a common problem that we come in contact with in corporate worship. At some point in high school, I asked God to not let me sing a single word that I did not mean in worship. This radically and beautifully changed my life. I am still struggling with meaningful worship, because it really does begin with the heart. It is a journey, and I am very excited about what God is teaching me about it. 

As a Church Music major, worship, through the form of music, is something very near and dear to my heart. It is how I express my feelings to God. I absolutely LOVE it. This is as much of a challenge to me as it is to those who read it-if anyone reads this. Through the next few weeks, or maybe even more, I will be attempting to define worship songs. I will go through hymns, contemporary worship songs, and fill in the gaps.

The first song I’m going to do is heavy. It popped into my Pandora station a few minutes ago, and I tried to ignore it. I couldn’t. I have wanted to do this series for quite some time, but have not felt it was the right time. I believe that now is.

So, here’s what’s going to happen. I will post a link to a Youtube video of the song I will be talking about and I encourage you to listen to it as you read this. It probably won’t sync up (I’m not that talented), but hopefully it will help you, and me, understand more completely the Biblical truths behind the lyrics.

Savior I come
Quiet my soul remember
Redemptions hill
Where Your blood was spilled
For my ransom
Everything I once held dear
I count it all as lost

These are the words that open up this powerful song. I’m going to try not to break it down word-by-word, but we’ll see how it goes. It is talking about the crucifixion scene; Jesus spilling His blood for our sins. He has paid for our sins; we are covered by His blood. The last two lines are a reiteration of Philippians 3:7-8.

Lead me to the cross
Where Your love poured out
Bring me to my knees
Lord I lay me down
Rid me of myself
I belong to You
Lead me, lead me to the cross

This is the part that gets me a little emotional. I think Francis Chan says it quite well in his book, Forgotten God. “The Spirit will lead you to the way of the cross, as He led Jesus to the cross, and that is definitely not a safe or pretty or comfortable place to be.” At first, we sing in the chorus that we want to be led here. How many of us actually mean those words? I can say with all honesty, sometime I really don’t want to be led to the cross. It’s being associated with the person on the cross. If this were someone being executed in modern times, would you want to be associated with someone that is being given the death penalty? It is completely against this world and against your safety, reputation, comfort, and all that you cherish in this world to be associated with them. THIS is what we are called to do. THIS  is what we are singing that we want to do. We are also singing in this song the cry of Matthew 16:24, when Jesus commands His disciples to take up their cross and follow Him.

Jesus calls us to a life of complete and utter devotion. And this requires us to lay down everything of ours (Luke 18:29-30). This is RADICAL.

You were as I
Tempted and trialed
Human
The word became flesh
Bore my sin and death
Now you're risen

Oh, this is such a beautiful picture of the gospel.  Jesus was fully God and fully human, yet remained perfect. He sacrificed Himself for us, then rose again! This makes my heart oh so happy!

This is the main idea of the song. It is a powerful song, and absolutely beautiful. I encourage you (and myself as well) to focus on the meaning of lyrics as you sing praise unto our Savior, not just in this song, but in all of them. They are so powerful, meaningful, and beautiful!

I already have a few songs lined up for the coming weeks (who knows, maybe even days!) and I absolutely cannot wait to see what God will be teaching me through this journey!

Keep Moving Forward

Yeah, that’s  a quote from Walt Disney and the slogan from the movie Meet the Robinsons(I may or may not want the child from that movie…) I found this absolutely so applicable to my life and the life of a Christian. Last night at the John Mark McMillan concert, something stuck with me that he said:

                “Where worship exists, music happens.”

Essentially, this means that worship is not music. Music happens when worship is in your heart. Singing is something that comes natural (well…for some people, others have different forms of worship).

                So this got me thinking. I know it can be scary when I think sometimes, but just hang in there for me.

(Oh yeah, I like flow charts)

This is the thought process that went through my head last night. It was a little strange, because after I thought about this, he came back and talked about the same thing. We are saved FOR something.

                Many times, as Christians, we focus on the life that we had before Christ. The point of salvation is the most important moment in our lives. However, if we do not move forward, we become stuck in the past. Our life is a process of reaching the final goal. We are saved FOR a greater good. We are saved FROM something, but more importantly we are saved FOR something.

                Our point of salvation is oh so important. SO, SO important. However, if we linger too much on what we are saved FROM, we lose sight of what we were saved FOR (sorry about ending the sentence with a preposition, I couldn’t find a way to reword it).
                Both elements of salvation are extremely important. Don’t lose sight of either. I have talked about what we are saved from before (Amazing Grace pt. 1 and 2).

Keep Moving Forward.

The Little Things

                Recently I’ve been the busiest I’ve been since high school. It’s been crazy. Super duper crazy. I am the first to admit that I may be a tiny bit too emotional at some times in my life. But, with that being said, I have been extra emotional as of late. For about the last month, I have been crying at the drop of a hat, sometimes with cause, others not so much. Don’t get me wrong, I love being busy. I cannot stand being in one place too long or not having something to do for several days in a row. But this doesn’t mean I don’t want my alone time or to hang out with my friends. I am in my room, besides sleeping and the weekends, for 3-4 hours a day, most of which is consumed with homework, checking and replying to emails, and other necessities. I want to BREATHE.

                But I think, though I’m sure this won’t be the only thing that God will teach me throughout the next two weeks leading up to fall break (for which I will be drinking coffee, practicing, and RELAXING), is that it is teaching me to enjoy the little things. Hanging out with my friends is now a privilege and something I expectantly wait for. I have always valued my friendships and been intentional about them, but it has made me become even more so. I eagerly await coffee dates (for the friends of course, not just the coffee), movie nights, and even study sessions.

                Having time for the “little things” makes my heart rejoice. I find God most brings me back to Him in these moments. When I’m walking to class and see a butterfly He reminds me of His presence. When I’m stressed out, overwhelmed, and in WAAY over my head in my Spanish class, I look out the window and see the beautiful scenery and God reminds me that He created this other language and He will help me through it if I ask. When I’m just about ready to scream because I’m just too tired and too busy, God reminds me that I just need to ask Him to help me. Why don’t I ask for help? I’d like to be able to say I really don’t know the answer, but I do. I’m too prideful. If I can’t make it a week without crying out for help, I must be weak and no one can see the weakness in me. I have to be strong. I can’t let anyone down. I can’t say no. But God reminds me in subtle ways that He came for the weak, dying, and helpless.

“And you were dead in your trespasses and sins….But God, who is abundant in mercy, because of His great love that He had for us, made us alive with the Messiah.”- Ephesians 2:1 &4-5

I can’t do it on my own. It is impossible. I am dead without Him. So, if I’m so helpless without

Him, why do I try to do it without Him? Why am I so stubborn? I am prideful.

                It is in the little moments, like stargazing with some awesome people or drinking a cup of coffee, that God reminds me that I need Him. He shows me my utter lack of ability and then shows me His infinite ability. I am weak and He is strong.  

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? Yaweh is the everlasting God. The Creator of the whole Earth. He does not grow faint or weary. There is no limit to His understanding. He gives strength to the weary and strengthens the powerless. Youths may faint and grow weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who trust in the LORD will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.”-Isaiah 40:28-31

He is my strength. He is my power.

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.- Philippians 4:13

Oh yeah, and it's fall. Who couldn't be excited about that??? I mean, pumpkin lattes, boots, scarves, pretty leaves, and that bonfire smell. I like fall. A lot.