You stir us up to take delight in Your praise; for You have made us for Yourself, and our heart is restless till it finds its rest in You. from Confessions
02065 – Stir Us Up!
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01678 – Still the Same Light
One Song Every war and every conflictbetween human beings has happenedbecause of some disagreement about names.It is such an unnecessary foolishness,because just beyond the arguingthere is a long table of companionshipset and waiting for us to sit down.What is praised...
01615 – Worship is an Act, Not a Feeling
If Christians worshiped only when they felt like it, there would be precious little worship... Worship is an act that develops feelings for God, not a feeling for God that is expressed in an act of worship. When we obey the command to praise God in worship, our deep,...
01552 – Focus on What Matters
Poet Ranier Maria Rilke points us in the right direction when he says, "The more the soul praises, the stronger it grows." Rilke is suggesting that praise is about the condition of our soul, not the circumstances of our days. Gratitude strengthens our soul by focusing...
01262 – God is the Subject of Worship
Because God is the subject of worship, we must back up a step to recall that, before liturgy can involve the work of the people who offer their praise, it begins with the presence of God graciously inviting that response. It seems to me that some of the worship wars...
01168 – What is the Purpose of a Choir?
What is the purpose of a choir? It's not to perform difficult music before a silent and intimidated (or irritated) congregation. It's not there to impress the faithful. It's there to encourage the faithful to find their voices to praise God in his holiness. It is...
01147 – The Deepest Level of Worship
The deepest level of worship is praising God in spite of the pain, thanking God during the trials, trusting Him when we're tempted to lose hope, and loving Him when He seems so distant and far away. At my lowest, God is my hope. At my darkest, God is my light. At my...
01138 – We are Designed for Praise
Our entire being is fashioned as an instrument of praise. Just as a master violin maker designs an instrument to produce maximum aesthetic results, so God tailor-made our bodies, souls and spirits to work together in consonance to produce pleasing expressions of...
00958 – Seeing Our Faces in the Mirror
There are moments when we all stand together and see our faces in the mirror: the anguish of humanity and its helplessness; the perplexity of the individual and the need of divine guidance; being called to praise and to do what is required.
00912 – Music: The Church’s Greatest Ornament
Music is as well or better able to praise Him than the building of the church and all its decorations: it is the Church’s greatest ornament…religious music without religion is almost always vulgar. from Conversations with Igor Stravinsky ———————————Gender-neutral...