Volume 25, Issue 2
WisconsinChristianNews.com
Page 21
Our Love & Worship Of God
By William F. Holland Jr. May 2024
I’ve been writing Christian music and leading church worship serv- ices since the early eighties and have discovered the ultimate ex- pression of worship and adoration is “I love You.” We can try to find more verbal attributes that de- scribe how we feel about the One we exalt and praise, but there is nothing in our vocabulary that can go beyond or be more convincing than these three little words. Some individuals have never really come out and said, “I love You, God” and
who they are? This is our holy vow and the covenant way God uncon- ditionally loves us and the same way we love Him. It’s somewhat disturbing when a Christian feels uncomfortable wor- shiping God. Many will say, what do you mean? I go to church and sing songs, and when I’m in the car I’ll occasionally listen to a religious song. The point I’m making involves two different concepts of worship. The first one is understanding what the reverential fear of God is and
Most of us have heard the 1969 song, “More Today than Yesterday” by the band Spiral Staircase. The cho- rus says, “I love
you more today than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow.” I had not heard it for a while, but I’m sensitive to music and often a song
will trigger my emotions and then I start asking the Lord about what is the hidden message within the music. It’s a catchy tune that has a happy bounce to it, much like what someone feels when they are in love. However, despite this song being listed as what is called, a “one-hit won- der,” it has a powerful spiritual consideration that goes far beyond the idea of two young people daydreaming about each other.
being aware of His pres- ence, which this level of spiritual connection ac- tually has very little to do with music. The sec- ond and opposite con- cept is a non-threatening, non- sacrificial approach to knowing and loving God. Singing can be worship, but not all singing is worship. This view com- bines God and church as an hour of paying re- spect where both can be appeased at the same time. Sadly, for many, it
I thought of our personal relation- ship with Jesus Christ and won- dered why we do not think about God as this song talks about being infatuated with another human. What a powerful declaration to tell God that our love for Him will grow stronger each day. The concept of falling in love with God and then building and progressing in our in- timate relationship with Him is not in the same category as going through the motions of a religious ritual. The measuring of our fer- vency is mentioned in God’s Word as hot being filled with the Holy Spirit, while the lethargic attitude is commonly referred to as luke- warm, and the backslidden state where we have drifted far away from God is depicted as being spir- itually cold and desensitized. Where would you estimate your spiritual condition today?
many others have not said it for a long time. When was the last you said, “God, I love You?” Another consideration is why we say we love Him. Is it because of all the things He gives and does for us, or is it just because of who He is? I’m reminded of our earthly rela- tionships, and I will focus on our spouse. Do we love them for the way they look, for what they do, for their talents and skills, for their fi- nances, or for their personality? What if they became sick or they could no longer provide an income? What if they were diagnosed with a disease and started to look old and nothing like they did when you first met them? What if they were in pain and could not pay attention to you like in the past and life com- pletely changed from the way it used to be? Would you still be com- mitted to love and cherish them for
is often superficial and meaning- less as true repentance is avoided and exchanged for a temporary at- tempt to ease a guilty conscience. If we were stranded on a desert island and had no church, com- munion, or music, it should not af- fect our prayers, meditation, worship, service, or abiding with God in the secret place of His pres- ence. We should be just as comfort- able with abiding under the shadow of the Almighty outside a church building as we are inside. Doing re- ligious “things” does not always mean we worship or are in love with God. Dr. Holland lives in Central Ken- tucky where he is a Christian min- ister, author, and community chaplain. Read more about the Christian life at: BillyHollandMinistries.com
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