Young Love

I have heard critics of current church music say that it is designed to be too experiential and emotional.  They say that the moment is based on feelings and not on anything substantial.  One Adventist leader even said he would never use an emotional method/moment/element to lead someone towards Christ for fear of a decision towards God being disingenuous. (loosely quoted)

So my brain has been thinking thoughts on this for a while. . .here they are:


Especially when speaking of new Christians, a young immature worship expression is natural and right.
   
The Bible makes many parallels between a relationship with God and a romantic relationship between people. So here is my parallel:

When Dev and I were first dating, our relationship was immature and filled with infatuation, emotions, endorphins, and hormones and I think that was good and natural and right.  It quickly progressed to be grounded it more meaningful things like shared experiences, values, life goals and we began to value things like character and personality in each other.  Our relationship started out somewhat shallow as all relationships do but has deepened and I learn new insights into who Devanne is on a daily basis and so my love for her is new and different and deeper every day.  We still have many young moments when the endorphins flair right back up and we get all emotional immature again.















Things like a kiss, an adventure, or even a fight can bring back those moments of young love and draw us closer on the shallow, yet somehow very deep level.

(above are the two best pics of when we were dating   :)

This makes me wonder if, when our relationship with God is young, it is okay for it to be young.

I think it is.

For a new believer to savor the joy and embrace the euphoric revelations of God's love. Maybe all God wants is to watch his child sing and shout and dance in His presence and just completely embrace the moment of the outpouring of His affection.  It may be immature.  It may be based on emotions and endorphins.  But God created emotions and endorphins. . .wouldn't He want to enjoy them with us?

When we are reminded of God's love in a lyric or melody, lets not stifle that with our dignity.  Lets not discount it or ignore it because we think people are watching. It's a moment to be savored and enjoyed.

Parameters like Db limits, or restriction of instrumentation (drums) can be walls that box us in and steal these moments.

(Some walls are important. Walls protecting from things like nudity during corporate worship are good.  I don't think drug use during worship is appropriate. Sacrificing live animals in church would definitely make me uncomfortable.)

But beyond strange (subjective, I know) things like that. . .   If we wall this thing in too much, pretty soon we will be more aware of the walls than the revelation and the moment will be robbed of it's joy and purity. 

As our relationship with God matures like it does. . .and it will. . . in a natural steady way, so will our expression of worship.  I guess it could look a little different for everyone, maybe we will become less interested in spending our time in rock and roll worship and become more interested in helping the poor/serving the least worship.

Let's protect and enjoy the young, emotive response and be confident that it will mature.





Let church bells ring
Let children sing
Even if they don't know why let them sing

Why drown their joy
Stifle their voice
Just because you've lost yours

May our jaded hearts be healed
Amen

Let old men dance
Lift up their hands
Even if they're naive let them dance

You've seen it all
You watch them fall
Wash off your face and dance

May our weary hearts be filled with hope
Amen

                                          -Gungor