That which we do with regularity often becomes rote and ritualistic. When we talk of something being rote and ritualistic, our meaning is generally negative; they are things we do out of habit and without thought. In some ways, the negativity is unwarranted. There are many aspects of life as followers of Jesus that are intentionally habitual. It is good to make a habit of daily prayer and bible reading. It is good to habitually extend kindness and compassion to our neighbors. It is good to develop patterns of regular church attendance and involvement. There are many things that are greatly beneficial to us that should be done with an almost mechanical regularity, but much of the benefit is only realized when we do them with thoughtfulness.
Every Sunday, Christians gather together at churches around the world for worship services. A vast majority of those worship services follow a similar format. Someone will give announcements, prayers will be prayed, Scriptures will be read, a sermon will be preached, and multiple songs will be sung. If we’re being honest, there are times when we put our minds on autopilot when participating in any or all of these elements. But, the element in which it is the easiest to mindlessly pass through is the singing.
The purpose of the songs we sing is the engagement of our hearts and minds.
We sing at least four songs every Sunday here at FBC Seymour. For the most part, I don’t play a part in picking any of the songs we sing on a given Sunday. My good friend and colleague, Pastor Nathan, is entrusted with that task, and it is a task he takes very seriously. I am often struck at how well the songs he chooses tie into the Scriptures and sermon. To borrow a modern phrase, he understands the assignment.
The purpose of the songs we sing every Sunday is not to meet some religious ritualistic expectation; we aren’t simply trying to check a box. The purpose of the songs we sing is not first and foremost our entertainment or enjoyment. The purpose of the songs we sing is the engagement of our hearts and minds. We sing the songs we sing to prepare our hearts and minds for the truth we are about to hear and to offer an appropriate response after we have heard.
When we think about singing in worship, we normally think of David and the Psalms, but the encouragement to sing and make music to the Lord is something the Apostle Paul encouraged often as well. In Ephesians 5:19-20, Paul writes, “Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Again, in Colossians 3:16, he writes, “Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your heart.” And once more, in 1 Corinthians 14:15, he writes, “I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding.”
“I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding.”
– 1 Corinthians 14:15
In keeping with Paul’s encouragement (and certainly that of David as well) the songs we sing are meant to engage our hearts and our minds, our emotions and our understanding. The songs we sing aren’t just musical moments to entice people to attend the worship service. The songs we sing aren’t assigned tasks we are checking off on our way to more important things. The songs we sing are important parts of the message God has for us. While we may sing them with rote and ritual regularity, there is important intentionality behind the songs we sing and when we sing them. May we prayerfully and carefully consider the words we sing each Sunday and may they help the message settle into our hearts and reverberate through the lives we live.
