The Biblical Perspective of the Big Picture
:Notice long post Ahead:
Sometimes in worship we think too small. Not that we should be dreaming of leading before thousands. Absolutely not. Rather, we be should realising that, in reality, we join with millions and millions. Yes, so often we think far too small and miss out on the incredible truth of what is really occurring. Every single time we gather to worship God, we don´t just join with a choir of tens or hundreds. We accompany the whole host of heaven, the song of all creation and the choir of the redeemed who lift up an anthem to the Almighty throughout the nations.
One of the biggest obstacles to consistently fervent worship in a local church is that we miss the magnitude of the occasion. We focus in on the four walls surrounding us, and that becomes our reality. We see and hear a group of people in or out of tune with each other - sometimes passionate, at other times a little apathetic. And that becomes our whole reality. But there is a bigger picture to be seen.
Most of us have found ourselves in the midst of a large crowd at some event or another. Whether it´s 1,000 or 100,000 people, we experience an amazing dynamic when we´re part of that many gathered voices. As I write this, I have just had the privilege of being involved in a wonderful worship event in Belfast, Northern Ireland. It was inspiring to see over 7,000 Christians from many streams of the Church gathering together in the heart of the city, unified around the throne of God in worship. At times we sang unaccompanied, and believe me, the sound of 7,000 Irish voices in heartfelt praise is an amazing thing. But, for me, the excitement felt on such occasions goes way beyond the natural dynamic of lots of people under one roof singing their hearts out, as special and powerful as that can be. To me, the profound nature of such a gathering is heightened when realizeise that, as beautiful a sound as it is, it is still just the faintest whisper. Just a tiforethoughtste of the true reality of all that is and is to come. There is a louder shout and a sweeter song to be heard. As the old hymn says, ´Hark how the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own.´
The Belfast gathering left a big impression on me - but, of course, it´s not every day we get to join with such grandiose choirs in worship. And, let´s be honest, singing our hearts out in a home group setting with three or four of our less vocally talented friends just isn´t the same somehow. Or is it? Perhaps it can be, if we somehow in our spirits grasp the bigger picture. However small or large a gathering, however in or out of tune we are musically, we are joining with the eternal flow of praise that rises every moment before the throne of God. Short of God´s own voice, it is the greatest sound in all history.
Take a moment to put the sound of this worshipping choir into perspective. Imagine every language you´ve ever heard. Every accent and dialect. Every beautiful vocal sound. Add to that every harmony and every crowd, every choir, every large gathering. As these voices blend into one in your imagination, they are just the tiniest ripple of what is to come. One day every tribe and tongue will join this song. Multitudes and multitudes of passionate worshippers. Add now the sounds of all creation, every birdsong you ever awoke to, every ocean wave you heard reach shore, every clap of thunder, every whistling of the wind, every wild animal roar, ´Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth, and under the earth, and in the sea, and all that is in them singing´ (Rev. 5:13) - blend this sound with those cries of the nations, and the orchestration begins to take shape. Yet it is still a mere whisper. Even in our wildest imaginations we still hear merely in part. Now come the melodies and harmonies of the heavens, 10,000 times 10,000 angels in joyful assembly, and those strange living creatures speaking ceaseless praise.
This is the big picture, the true biblical perspective of what worship really looks like and will look like, before the heavenly throne. As lead worshippers, we must somehow hear beyond the sounds and harmonies flowing within the four walls of the building we use for church gatherings and attune our hearts to this grand eternal flow of praise. And then somehow, in the power of the Holy Spirit, lead our people into the same revelation. This is a worship-leading essential, a biblical perspective of the big picture in worship that will help us more than we could ever imagine.
posted by <$Jdizzel$> @ 8:47 AM
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