Sunday, January 15, 2012

Finding the Music in Prayer

I've had this post written for a while, but I dread editing.:) However, it is now finished, I pray it makes you look at prayer and the Savior in a new light!:)

I was going through a book recently that contained all my notes on Sunday worship services, my eye alighted on one topic that I had written about. The title of the sermon was:

"How do you worship in prayer?"

Sometimes the worship in prayer is applied by saying 'amen' when someone else finishes praying. By saying 'amen' it is an ascent that you are agreeing with their prayer and want to apply it to yourself.

A wonderful example of worship applied prayer is this analogy that my pastor was preaching on:

"How do musicians all stay in perfect harmony and know when to play their piece?"

The answer is, they are focused on the conductor. They also have their music to look at for direction.

We have Christ to focus on in worship, our prayer is a conversation with the King of Kings! The music it refers to is our Bible. The Lord has written letters to us showing us His desire and will for our lives. We have an audience with the Conductor 24/7 and His everlasting promises are at our fingertips with His Word.

But if one person in an orchestra decides to focus only on his instrument instead of listening to the others and obeying the conductor, he produces a discord in the music that hurts the conductor more than anyone else. For it is the Conductor's music, His handiwork on display for the world to follow. What an image of sadness is on His face as He tries to direct that person back into harmony.

Only by surrendering our rights and turning to the Conductor can we once again find a union of harmony once again reigning.

So how can you show worship through prayer?
Don't only consider that on Sunday mornings your worship consists of singing the songs right and listening to the service quietly. We are in the audience of a King, our very minds should be focused on the leader and what His command will be!

And in prayer as we listen to His voice and obey the commands He gives us, we are showing an attentiveness to His calling. Then and only then can the orchestra reach it's most beautiful scale, when each brother and sister in Christ shows themselves more concerned in pleasing the Conductor than on their piece alone.

So how is your instrument playing in the orchestra? Is your focus completely on the Conductor and His beautiful music?