I have to admit that although the Bible says to "sing a new song" multiple times, well, change is just plain hard. I miss the hymns I sang as a child. I don't convulse in pain when I hear a hymn. I belt it out as loud as I can.
Our church, growing up, did a magnificent job mixing the old time hymns with the new chorus's (which are now also considered ancient). I was especially privileged to sing under Harry Clendenin, who WILL be leading one of heaven's many choirs along with his wife, Melissa!
Today, though, it seems somewhat hard to find a church that does a good mix. It seems either they sing hymns and shun the new songs, or vice versa. I have struggled to fall into our song service at New Life, which tends to go for the newer songs, for this very reason. It seems like the songs straddle my voice range. I want to sound great (or at least good) when I sing to my Saviour. I don't want anyone to hear me when I screw up a lyric or can't quite catch a note.
I can say, though, that although it is a struggle, I have definitely made progress in this area. I have to constantly remind myself that praising God comes from the heart, not the lungs. God doesn't care whether I am on tune or not. He cares that I am singing the words to Him, not for anyone else. He would much rather hear a person praise Him that can't carry a tune in a bucket, but has a heart overflowing for Him, than a person with the most beautiful voice that is just singing words.
Therefore, I will continue to belt out the hymns that we do sing and fumble through the other songs that are a little bit harder for me; all while keeping my mind and my heart on Christ...because that's where my focus should be anyway.
That being said, here are a few of my favorite new songs that we have been singing lately at church.
Our church, growing up, did a magnificent job mixing the old time hymns with the new chorus's (which are now also considered ancient). I was especially privileged to sing under Harry Clendenin, who WILL be leading one of heaven's many choirs along with his wife, Melissa!
Today, though, it seems somewhat hard to find a church that does a good mix. It seems either they sing hymns and shun the new songs, or vice versa. I have struggled to fall into our song service at New Life, which tends to go for the newer songs, for this very reason. It seems like the songs straddle my voice range. I want to sound great (or at least good) when I sing to my Saviour. I don't want anyone to hear me when I screw up a lyric or can't quite catch a note.
I can say, though, that although it is a struggle, I have definitely made progress in this area. I have to constantly remind myself that praising God comes from the heart, not the lungs. God doesn't care whether I am on tune or not. He cares that I am singing the words to Him, not for anyone else. He would much rather hear a person praise Him that can't carry a tune in a bucket, but has a heart overflowing for Him, than a person with the most beautiful voice that is just singing words.
Therefore, I will continue to belt out the hymns that we do sing and fumble through the other songs that are a little bit harder for me; all while keeping my mind and my heart on Christ...because that's where my focus should be anyway.
That being said, here are a few of my favorite new songs that we have been singing lately at church.
1 comment:
I can totally relate to this...I miss singing hymns and the new church we have found here sings songs that are not in the best part of my voice. And yet I keep on singing and fumbling through.
Thanks for stopping by my blog and reminding me the importance of being real. I need to do that more often.
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