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I love going to church. I look forward to singing familiar hymns, partaking in holy communion with my brothers and sisters in Christ, and enjoying the fellowship in our church hall downstairs after the service.
But one particular Sunday, at the onset of our service, our organist told the congregation that he had written a new song: lyrics and words, which were reproduced onto the screen for everyone to see.
The words and melody were very spiritual and uplifting, yet I found it hard to sing and follow. I do not read notes. If a black dot is higher than the other black dot, I know that I have to sing a little higher or vice versa.
Isn't it funny how we prefer and choose hymns that we are used to, and that we know the melody and words to, but as soon as a new hymn is introduced, we don't like it, and we shy away from even trying? Are we afraid of change, not only in learning a new song but in much needed changes within our churches?
Psalm 96:1 – Sing a new song to the Lord! Let the whole earth sing to the Lord! (NLT)
God is with us as we sing a new song unto Him. His promises are sure and forever.
Psalm 40:3 – He has given me a new song to sing, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see what he has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the Lord. (NLT)
Psalm 149:1 – Praise the Lord! Sing to the Lord a new song. Sing his praises in the assembly of the faithful. (NLT)
Prayer: Lord God, remove the fear that some of us will face as we go through changes within our individual churches. Help us to step out in faith and trust in Your guidance. By the stirring of Your Holy Spirit within us, may we sing a new song of forgiveness and love to all those around us. Amen.
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Thanks Rosemary for the good word.
Thank you for singing a new song to us!!
Thanks for sharing. You are so right. Singing seems louder on hymns we know, but it’s always good to learn a new one. Blessings.
Thank you Rosemary.
Change is generally good…though keeping with some of the old familiar in different aspects of our life is good too. I love the old hymns.
Rosy,
I’m on the same page you are.
However it is always a song of praise; for we are His redeemed.
God bless you for writing,
Dear Rosy,
I identify with your dilemma. Change is difficult for all of us. In the area of new songs-I made a conscious attempt to learn the new worship songs as they were introduced. I found once I learned them they meant more to me.
However, when it got to the point where the hymns of the faith were put on the back burner, I was unhappy. In my mind, I didn’t feel that the new worship songs could stand up to the integrity of Isaac Watts’ hymn, Alas! and Did My Savior Bleed?/At The Cross, for instance.
Thanks for bringing up this important subject and God bless you.
Thank you, Rosemary, for your words of encouragement for me today. I am 90 years old, music has been a major part of my life in the church. Now to be faced every Sunday with the new music many of us finding difficult to sing, how do we handle it. You have gone into the Scriptures to show us what we need to follow. I may still want more of the “good old” hymns, but remember that the new choruses are saying the same things just in another style. So, for me, it’s — Dear Lord, give me patience, understanding and love as we phase into a new kind of worship.
(California)
Hi Rosy,
I know exactly what you are talking about. I don’t sing very well, actually very badly, but during the last 65 years I have learned to sing some of the old favourites, and when they sing the new “songs” as I call them I’m just there.
You beat me to it. All week I was thinking about how the people in the Nursing Home love to sing they old songs, and even some of the newer songs in the hymn book there are never asked for by the residents, They love the old Hymns.
Keep up the good work.
Blessings.
Dear Cassandra,
Thanks for the devotional.
“Sing a new song to the Lord,” yes. and changes, yes, but we must be very, very, very sure the changed are in accord with the Word of God, the Bible.
For Jesus sake,
Keep writing.