Worship Wednesdays: Idol Worship

The Bible is very clear when it comes to idols. So why do we worship so many of them? You might be saying to yourself, "wait a second, I don't worship idols." And I would have to say that you were a liar. Maybe you don't bow down or burn candles to little statues, but those aren't the only types of idols.

An idol is anything in your life that takes the place of God. It could be money, basically placing our trust in it instead of God. (Ever wonder why our founders put In God We Trust on our money, maybe as a reminder not to put our trust in the money on which it was printed?) It could be our favorite sports team. We know every single stat of every single player right down to their shoe size but can't be bothered to memorize scripture or even remember the topic of the sermon we just heard. we can even make idols out of favorite preachers or even, dare I say it, our favorite worship music.

Let's face it, even the best of us find it easier to "enter into worship" if we hear just the right song. We all have musical preferences, and that's fine, but those preferences shouldn't dictate whether or not we worship God. Maybe I'm just tired of people complaining that we don't sing enough hymns or suggesting we sing such and such a song because they really love it. Sometimes I wonder if I am the only one who thinks that worship isn't about us but about God. 

Each week I spend hours in prayer, seeking God's will for each service that Sunday. I try desperately to get a feel for what it is that God is trying to communicate to His people for that service. I then try to choose songs that will convey that message or theme. During this process I also try to be sensitive to our Church's unique culture as well as maintain the flow of the songs both thematically and musically. (i.e. key signatures and transitions between songs.)  

So I find myself wondering have we turned our worship music into an idol? Are we worshiping the songs we sing whether they be hymns, choruses, or modern worship songs? Or are we looking past the music to the One we are singing to and singing about?