Be careful what you sing…
I’ve been pondering the words to some of the worship songs we sing. I remember many years ago, a pastor speaking out about a popular worship song related to a scripture in Joel 2. The scripture was a reference to the judgment the people of Israel were going to suffer at the hand of God because of their disobedience. “They rush on the city, they run on the wall, great is the army that carries out His word.” Well, that was talking about the army that was rushing in to destroy Israel, and we were singing and clapping to that, like it was some victory dance we were going to enjoy!
So, since then, I’ve always looked with a critical eye about what we sing. A year or so ago, while singing, “I will praise Him til it works out” or “He comes through” or something like that… No, I will praise God even if it doesn’t work out.
Most recently, I’ve questioned these lyrics: “show me Your glory” and “I want to see Your face.” Really? Not me! I’m not ready yet! I saw just enough of the glorious nature of God’s presence (like I’ve never seen before or since) the night of the earthquake - when all those beautiful Haitian Christians worshipped until morning, thanking God for their very lives - to make me hide from it again. I am undone when I just taste just a tiny touch of the presence of God. I can’t stop crying, I can’t function, I can’t do anything.
And this one: “Break my heart for what breaks Yours…” Um, no way. We cannot bear it. I am seeing just a tiny bit of what breaks God’s heart right now, and I can’t handle it.
Though we are filled with the Holy Spirit, we are still in our human form. We do not have our glorified bodies, minds or emotions yet. That is coming in Heaven someday (which, by the way, I am now really looking forward to). So how do we think we can take all this intense level of emotional or spiritual experience? It’s akin to spiritual pride, really. I am learning that I am far from the place where I can handle a glimpse of the glory of God, or see His face, or look upon the pain that plagues the earth, sharing in the broken-heartedness of God. Remember when Moses came down from his mountain-top experience with God? He asked, “now, show me Your glory,” and God agreed to show him just his back as His goodness passed by. He told Moses, “for no one may see Me and live.” Even that got Moses to glowing so much that they had to veil his face so normal people could talk to him. And each time Moses met with God, the veil had to go back on. Now that’s Moses, a man who spoke verbally with God.
Who am I?
May we not be so presumptuous as to forget that God is magnificent, utterly holy, untouchable, so much so that we cannot approach. Yet. One day, when we are ready, we will see him face to face, not like a poor reflection – which is what we have available to us now.
I long to see God’s face, to touch Him, to hear His voice…but I will wait, and I will look forward with anticipation to be able to experience this fully.
