I'm sure all of us have been moved by a powerful song or singer. When I think of a singer who had the power to move people with her voice, I think of Mahalia Jackson (thanks Gio for putting her back into my thoughts). What a powerful voice! When we say someone is powerful, we mean they are able to move people to think or act differently. They inspire.
Musical worship can be powerful in that sense. Somehow music touches us on a deep level. When we combine spiritual truth about God with good music and when we approach a time of corporate worship with an open attitude to be touched and moved by the truths we sing, we are often deeply moved and challenged.
The interesting thing about powerful worship, however, is that it revolves around the recognition of God's power. Take a look at these words from the book of Revelation.
Revelation 4:11; 5:9‑10, 13 (Book of Common Prayer version)
Splendor and
honor and kingly power *
are yours by right, O Lord our
God,
For you
created everything that is, *
and by your will they were
created and have their being;
And yours by
right, O Lamb that was slain, *
for with your blood you have
redeemed for God,
From every
family, language, people, and nation, *
a kingdom of priests to serve our
God.
And so, to him
who sits upon the throne, *
and to Christ the Lamb,
Be worship and
praise, dominion and splendor, *
for ever and for evermore.
Jesus Christ, is the highest power now because he gave up that power and became the slain lamb. He has earned His place of kingship and worthiness to be worshiped. But we also see here something about our power. Christ redeemed us to make us a kingdom of priests to serve God. First we are a kingdom. That means we share in Christ's dominion, or power to rule this world. But how do we rule? We do so in the same way Christ did. We become priests, who stand in the gap between a holy God and a sin damaged world. We lay down our lives, by giving ourselves in prayer, worship, and acts of love and service. It is when we begin to find how God has uniquely created us to be kings and priests that we find our true power. Our true power is really not our own. It is the power of God working through us as we present ourselves fully as a sacrifice of praise. How do we become a sacrifice of praise? It is by discovering who God made us to be; skills, talents, and abilities. We then sharpen the things God has given us and offer them back to be used by God for His glory and honor. Corporate worship is a time where we "rehearse" doing this. But there is the worship after the worship that happens between Sundays. We may be moved emotionally by powerful times of corporate worship, but does it move us to be the best stewards we can be of all of the gifts He has given us in our daily lives? If not, then the "rehearsal" on Sunday morning was not very productive.
I'd encourage you to take about 12 minutes to watch this short documentary clip about Mahalia Jackson. Notices all of the ways in which she was moved to move others, not only through giving her all on stage, but in her simple daily acts of kindness and compassion.
