Rise
Up
“take away
from Me the noise of
your songs; I will not even listen to the sound of your
harps.
but let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an
ever-flowing stream.”
Amos 5:23-24
We’re all constantly worshiping something.
It’s just
a matter of the object. You see it all the time. In
the
buffet line. The party scene. The sports
arena. The
celebrity gossip magazines. The 12 billion dollar a year porn
industry. In the fact that, so far, 46 million women have had
an
abortion.
Even at the church where music, rather than Jesus, often takes the
prize for our affection. If the music isn’t
traditional
enough, we can’t worship. If it’s not hip
enough,
Jesus just can’t be in it. And our worship has
become so
much more about us – singing
songs on a sunday, in a building,
with a lot of people doing the same thing to make us feel better about
our idolatry. Now, i’m not saying that traditional
music,
or hip music and buildings are bad, but when they become the focus,
we’re in trouble.
An Amos 5, which is really the inspiration for the song, we can see
God’s reaction to such religious irreverence.
He’s
basically saying, “until you’re striving by My
grace,
through My Spirit, to make your life match what your songs are saying,
don’t even bring them.”
I think our prayer should be that God would “unite
our
hearts to fear His name.” That He would take our
hearts and
shape them so that our worship is focused on Him again. Then
He
will get the glory out of our songs again, and He will take delight in
us again. But until then, maybe we just need to stop singing.
our
holy God, completely unique
said
let there be life
and
spoke life into me
what
good is this breath
if
Your glory’s not breathed
so
take all of me
rise
up oh God to Your rightful place
and
unite our hearts for Your ways
take
joy once more
in
the praise of Your saints
rise
up and take Your place
our
jealous God, completely unique
what
good are these songs
if
you are not pleased
what
good are these walls
if
our God retreats
if
our God retreats
speak
the words that You spoke
when
You brought us to life
breathe
revival, Lord breathe revival
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