Why do we worship? Is it a comfortable routine we have all grown used to? What is one’s true purpose for worship? This City News writer shares her innermost thoughts.
I’ve worshipped God in the quiet of my own room; in the far West of Singapore inside City Harvest Church’s miracle building at Jurong; in the large halls of Singapore Expo when church was there; in the welcoming, cosy homes that house our cell group meetings; even at buzzing, exciting, youth camps.
Praise and worship—it’s a spirit-led, heartfelt activity. Yet it can easily become an activity that is mindless, easy and dry, especially during a time when our lives are going through less-than-fantastic seasons.
Worship was something I didn’t give much thought to until I began serving in my zone and in cell group music ministry. The thought grew as until I started writing this article.
Worshipping God doesn’t change—it doesn’t matter where I am. Experiences may differ due according to the places and people involved, my experience with Him is always personal and intimate. After all, when I worship, it’s not that God needs to be reminded of who He is. More often than not, I sing to remind my soul of who He is, and to adore Him in song.
When I sing, on my knees, the words in the song “What a beautiful name it is, the name of Jesus Christ my King”, I am reminded of how I fell in love with Jesus the first time I heard about Him at the age of 7.
When I sing, “My first love, forever You will be;” the words hold more meaning to me now than it did when I first sang them at 13, now that I am busier and have more commitments than I used to.
Perhaps it is because I am musically inclined, so new worship songs amaze, interest and excite me. But it’s not the same for some others. Once, though we were in the same hall and part of the same congregation, a friend lamented about how much she disliked singing new worship songs. She said that new worship songs paled in comparison to older songs when it came to “pouring out your heart in devotion for Jesus.”
This was a similar sentiment to what Pastor Wu Yuzhuang once shared. He said that he grew up singing hymns so he found the songs we sing today harder to sing. He complained to friends of his age group that he did not enjoy worship songs. Then God spoke to him and asked, “Since when were you supposed to enjoy worship? Are you the audience? Or am I the audience?”
If the audience is a King and a Father who loves me, what matters is my heart of worship. Everything else is secondary.
The catchiest, most modern songs would mean nothing if I sang with an empty heart.
Likewise, an “old, dry” hymn can change the atmosphere and soften hearts, if I meant every word of what I sang.
