Trust In Worship

There is a tremendous amount of trust required in leading people in sung worship. Most people are only singing aloud during a commute to work or their morning shower. Apart from singing ‘Happy Birthday,’ when are the vast majority of people singing corporately?

But sung worship is not just a physical act - it is spiritual as well. We are putting words in the mouths of our people for them to know, understand, and respond to the person and work of Christ.

When God’s people are gathered in sung worship they are following our lead - are we trustworthy? Have we invested in the secret place before coming to this public platform? Have we spent time with these songs to be able to lead them with as few distractions as we can manage? Will we provide the people with enough direction that they can relax and follow, or will they feel consistently unsettled because we seem to be unaware of anyone besides ourselves?

As it does in any relationship, trust is built over time. Time and familiarity will either serve to strengthen or undermine the trust you have with the people you lead. So be consistent in your serving on and off the platform. Be gracious with and toward your people knowing that there is a significant amount of trust required in their relationship with and toward you.

Tuesday Refocus: May 9

“Yours is the day, yours also the night; you have established the heavenly lights and the sun. You have fixed all the boundaries of the earth; you have made summer and winter.” - Psalm 74:16-17

Sometimes like the disciples in a storm-tossed boat I wonder aloud, ’Teacher, don’t you care that we are perishing?’ (Mark 4:39). He is the One who spoke creation into existence, and upholds it by the word of His power (Gen 1:3, Heb 1:3). He is the One who will never leave me or forsake me, the One who never slumbers or sleeps, and yet sometimes my circumstances lead me to question His presence, and His power (Heb 13:5, Ps 121:1).

But the Spirit still hovers over the chaos - including the chaos of my own heart, soul, and spirit (Gen 1:2). He is still the one who has ‘measured the waters the hollow of his hand and marked off the heavens with a span, enclosed the dust of the earth in a measure and weighted the mountains in scales and the hills in a balance…’ (Is 40:12).

It is not just the day that He controls, but the night also. When I ‘…walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.’ (Ps 23:4). In all seasons, at all times, there is nothing outside of His control. Nothing can thwart his purpose and His plan. With confidence we can lie down and sleep in peace, and awake to new mercies, because the boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places (Ps 4:8, Lam 3:22-23, Ps 16:6).

Lord, where can we go from your presence? May we know your nearness as our good today and every day, amen.

Resting,

AB 

14 July: Tuesday Refocus

‘He comes to you and me in our sorrow.  And He says, ‘Trust Me.’  ‘Walk with Me.’ – Elisabeth Elliot

God comes to us in our sorrow.  He is not absent, but inviting.  Whether our sorrow is a result of our own sin, sin against us, or the reality of living in a broken world - sorrow is an invitation deeper into His heart.  A heart that says, ‘For I, the LORD your God, hold your right hand; it is I who say to you, ‘Fear not, I am the One who helps you (Is 41:13).’

Because we are met in our sorrow, we can cling to the One who holds us up.

‘My soul clings to You, Your right hand upholds me (Ps 63:8).’ Lord, You are worthy of my trust, my soul cling to You alone. Amen.

Upheld,

AB

October 8: Tuesday Refocus

‘I have trusted Thee and Thou hast not betrayed my trust; waited for Thee, and not waited in vain.’ – The Valley of Vision

I have trusted myself and been disappointed.

I have trusted others and been crushed.

I have trusted the Lord and never been forsaken.

‘And those who know Your name put their trust in You, for You, O LORD, have not forsaken those who seek You.’  Ps 9:10

I have waited for perfect timing and been inactive.

I have waited for everything to fall in place and been passed by.

I have waited on the Lord and grown strong and courageous.

‘Wait for the LORD; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the LORD!’ Ps 27:14

Lord, we trust and wait.  Not passive, not flippant, intentionally we pursue You as the One who has proven Himself trustworthy.  The One who is with us in our waiting.  We await eagerly for You, Your name and Your renown are the desires of our heart.  In Christ’s name, amen.

Trusting + waiting,

AB