Remembering Lisa

Lisa on her third trip to Israel

Two years ago this month, Lisa went to be with the Lord. She was part of worship arts even before we organized officially as a ministry. For a season she was our ministry leader. I could write of many things Lisa did in serving Christ, His family, and those who did not know Him. But for us she was a very special friend and sister in Christ. We miss her, love her, and forever hold her in our hearts.

Debbie in Israel

One of our WAM leaders in Israel, November 2010




 

In 2010 five of our worship arts team members flew to Israel with a group organized through Shepherds Gate Lutheran Church in Shelby Twp.  Of course we packed several small flags to use during worship and during intercession for this nation which gave us Jesus, the Messiah.  While there, God brought us to encounter other followers of Christ who were interested in our flags.  One of our flags was given to a woman from France, and one was given to a young woman from China.

 

We had many great experiences during this trip, visiting the ramparts for intercession, spending time with survivors of the Holocaust, ministering at an elementary school, as well as viewing many sites that were significant locations recorded in scripture.

 

Note that from the angle the picture was taken, Debbie's flag is intersecting with the landing pad at the United Nations peacekeeping compound. Though unintentionally done, a cross is formed.  The message I see in this is that real peace comes only through reconcilliation to God through Jesus the Christ, Savior to Jew and gentile alike

 

Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Hebrews 12:2

 



 

 

Give Praise and Thanks to the Lord

From the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, the Lord's name is to be praised.
Psalm 113:3

I Chronicles 16:8 states, "Give thanks unto the Lord, call upon His name, make known His deeds among the people."

Psalm 50:23 states, Whoso offereth praise glorifieth me." God desires this because it glorifies Him.

The words "thanks" and "praise" here are both  yadah in Hebrew. It means "to use the hand to revere or worship with extended hands, wringing the hands, confess, graceful gestures; to throw, to cast, to profess, to confess, to show or point out, to give thanks, to praise, celebrate."

Note that it says in our definition "to show or point out." With our hands we can demonstrate a message to others as we worship the Lord. In fact, in I Chronicles 16:4 they appointed Levites to do this. "And he [David] appointed certain of the Levites to minister before the Ark of the Lord, and to record, and to thank and praise the Lord God of Israel."

Try it. Try using your hands to show or point out what you are singing about during your worship time. It only takes a small place for one person, and it is a great way for a group to move in unity with each other. We, as the redeemed ones, have much "to show or point out" much to "celebrate" don't we?

Music and Worship Arts

Our Worship Team Practicing Before the Service

August 25, 2013

As introduced previously, music and worship arts can be closely linked together. I have often started to sing and “stroll” around my house as I was praising the Lord. It’s like I am declaring to the walls as well as the spirit world the greatness or goodness of God. I love going out on my deck early in the morning to praise God. I do, however, try to be courteous to my neighbors and not sing at the top of my lungs. In the summer I feel like I am welcoming the day with praise along with the birds and the rest of creation. In the winter I sense nature at rest, and it can be so beautiful when the sun begins to rise from behind our pine trees. I am inspired to praise Him even more!

Back to scripture and the word Shuwr (See post of Aug 24). Miriam, Moses and Aaron’s prophetess sister, also had a song in Exodus 15:20. As she strolled along singing, the other women joined her with timbrels and dancing. They sang, “Sing to the Lord, for he has triumphed gloriously; horse and rider he has thrown into the sea.” NRSV

Can’t you just see the picture of the entire group of refugees walking slowly away from the Red Sea. They had just seen an incredible miracle. When Miriam and the other women began to sing, I suspect this inspired song began to be sung by some of the others in the company. I can see them leading animals, carrying babies, pulling small carts, looking forward, following the cloud, and singing in unison just like we do today with short choruses during worship services. Perhaps the melody came to them many times throughout their journey toward their destined land. Perhaps there were times small groups of people spontaneously began to stroll along singing this song.

According to The Oxford Desk Dictionary, art is “human creative skill or its application; work showing this; branches of creative activity concerned with the projection of imaginative designs, sounds, or ideas; creative activity resulting in visual representation.” God had given Miriam a song. I believe the music and movement was beautiful in the sight of God. It wasn’t canvas that He was preparing for His vision. He had a dream in His heart, and the dream was just beginning to take shape.

So what did this movement represent? I believe it represented a moving forward. God had done something miraculous right before their eyes, a supernatural feat. Their enemy was defeated and they were now free, but they still had a ways to go. God was just beginning to mold them into a people that would carry God’s dream forward to its designated time.

Worship arts is often about painting a prophetic picture. This prophetic particular picture is still relevant for us today. God does a great miracle in our lives when we choose to follow Him as Israel did. The enemy is not pleased with this change, and wants us to stay in a place of bondage to him. Through the power of the cross our sins are covered by the blood of Jesus and the enemy is defeated, but the journey is just beginning for us. We must be trained in the ways of a new kingdom with a different sort of king. Along the way He gives us new songs and new revelations to carry on our journey to fulfill His dream of a bride for His son.

 Consider your journey and stroll through your day singing a new song of praise.

Just Strolling Along

God has provided us with some very specific moves for singers, dancers, and musicians in scripture. One that many of you may have seen in your own place of worship or when visiting other worship gatherings is known by the Hebrew word Shuwr. It meas to sing strolling minstrely, to turn, to travel about. In the church body that I grew up in, the choir would enter, walking slowly, at the beginning of our service as we all sang the first hymn. Here is another place you may have seen this move. If you ever watched the westerns from the 1960s you might recall Nat King Cole walking, singing, and playing a guitar as he sang a ballad about the lead character in the movie.

We see this movement in Exodus 15:1 when Moses and the Israelites sang to the Lord. (God was their lead character in the song. Pun intended.) They sang, "I will sing unto the Lord, for he is highly exalted ......... The Lord will reign for ever and ever." The word "sing" here is this word Shuwr. Some other places we see this action is in Psalm 9:11, Psalm 33:3, Psalm 137:3, and Jeremiah 20:13.

Though this indicates a group of singers, dancers, and musicians I believe it is just as appropriate for us as individuals to stroll through our own homes, or some other appropriate place as we sing praise to the lead character in our lives. Some of our worship arts leaders come early on Sunday when the singers and musicians are practicing. We sometimes pick up an appropriate flag and sing along with our worship team as we walk slowly throughout the sanctuary. A flag isn't always necessary, but the movement and singing brings the presence of God and prepares the sanctuary for the people to receive from the Lord. We move to prepare a place for the Lord to move in.

The Color of Love: Red

Some of our flags are simply unembellished red flags which symbolize the blood of Jesus. In scripture we recognize the color red to also mean atonement, sacrifice, redemption, and love. God has shown His love through His "only begotten son." In John 10:14-18 Jesus tells us that He willingly gave up his life for us. He says, "No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord." Only love could have caused such a sacrifice. Only love would look on the mess humanity had made of itself and see the blood of Christ redeeming a future Bride without spot or wrinkle.  As the old hymn declares, "What can wash away my sins? Nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus."

Choices

Today I was reading about the choices we make concerning our relationship with God just as Abraham did. In Shechem (the place of choosing) he chose Yahweh as his God. At Bethel (house of God) he chose to enter into relationship as a son with Father God. The next place of decision came at Hebron (indicating an association or friendship) where he chose to accept the invitation of friendship with God. Through Jesus we find the Savior, Son of God, who brought us into all of these relationship categories if we choose to accept Him. To know Him as God is good and profitable. To know Him as Father is a place of comfort and blessing. To know Him as friend is a place of intimacy where now we have access to the dreams and heart of one who is always close, always listening, always speaking, laughing with us, and walking with us. This is the place that is not just about me; it's about us, because we are friends. So where are you with this?