Worship Devotional-Balance

The following devotional titled "Balance" is an excerpt from an upcoming devotional series on worship from the Active Word. I was blessed to write some of the devotionals in this series.

Colossians 3:16
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.

A while ago I was discussing songs with a friend, who asked how a hymn got the label of being a “hymn.” That conversation led us to this passage in Colossians that teaches us how we worship God corporately through music.

You and I know that part of the worship that we offer God is through song. Paul reminds the church that the Word of Christ should dwell in us, through both teaching and singing. He clearly shows us the balanced model of worship through song should include psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Each of these terms has a depth of meaning for us. Psalms are songs of scripture, most notably passages from the book of Psalms. Hymns are songs of celebration-this isn't simply “Amazing Grace,” -the songs we call hymns had yet to be written! And the term songs of the spirit suggests more powerful and intimate songs of reverence and awe.

These categories may overlap but each area contains a unique quality of worship. This threefold approach is designed to reveal His Word dwelling in us through both the truth of the Word and the work of the Spirit. Singing songs of scripture, celebration and the spirit is a healthy and balanced way to honor God in our worship.

Sometimes we can find ourselves having a preference for one of the three over the others, but view that preference as an opportunity to submit our desires and will to the authority of scripture. Consider today how this area of your worship can grow to reflect the truth of His Word, and the leading of the Spirit.