Wrong Words Wednesday....

My husband has been suggesting songs all week, but I can’t just pick a song for Wednesday. Picking a song for this is personal. More often a song picks me. I want to share with you songs that moved me – made me think of and praise God unexpectedly or in an unexpected way, or made some piece of my faith clear or more in focus.

Chalk Drawing By Grace, 4 1/2

I had a song in mind and was searching out the precise lyrics. (I am notorious for having the words wrong!) Well, my search opened a can of worms! The song I love and that speaks to me so clearly of God’s love and ways is apparently all but heresy and certainly blasphemy.  

The writers’ words still have not totally sunk in.  How could a song that I grew up singing at Church not be worshipful and praiseful?

 The point that most of the writers seemed to make was that song I had in mind, as well as several others, was not in-line with the purpose of a church service. Each song gave God’s voice to the singer, as in the singer was singing words that were attributed to God.  They explained that in worship we should be in praising God, not speaking for Him, and that we are at service to hear God through his word and hopefully, also through the message of the preacher.

I am no theologian, but that makes sense to me, and yet I still find the songs beautiful and moving and prayerful – even praiseful.  Some of my favorite songs are songs that are God’s words or remind me of God’s word.

I love the opening of Wayard Son by Kansas.

Carry on my wayward son
There'll be peace when you are done
Lay your weary head to rest
Don't you cry no more

I hear God speaking to me in those words, even more so when I sing along. Granted, even with some serious re-writing that is not a song I ever expect to hear at church, but for me those words are God’s words and it is powerful to hear them.

Now, I am off to re-think every church song that I like…

Happy Wednesday!