A Thousand and One
When Was It Written
This article was written on October 1, 2006 for the very first day that The Church at Trace Crossing gathered to worship as an official faith family. They had met in homes and even in the Furniture Market for their first 9 months with anywhere from 5 people to 50 people gathered. On Sunday, October 1, 2006, 45 people gathered to worship together and study together as The Church at Trace Crossing. It was the first time they lifted their voice as a community to their Father.
Why Was It Written
This article just demonstrates our desire, and the desire of every true believer, that God would take the offering of our worship as a meaningful expression of our thanks. As we like to say and sing around here, "It's All For You!"
Who Wrote It
Kevin Wood, Pastor
A Thousand and One
Today, The Church at Trace Crossing will join the global chorus of Christ's bride. It is an opportunity I wouldn't miss for the world.
The first sounds of praise came early this Sunday morning from small bands of believers gathered on tiny Pacific islands. We were all just getting to bed on Saturday night when Sunday morning came for them. Then the house churches in China stirred, raising their voices from the hidden depths of their darkened basements to the heights of the heavens. Far to the south, the Aussies who call themselves Christians gathered in their churches large and small, and lifted the first English words of worship to a God who hears all languages.
As the morning cry went out over the Middle East, those who follow the one true God bent their knees, not towards Mecca, but towards the Maker. And from the midst of a religious world shrouded in darkness, the light of Christ flickered as it has for two thousand years strong.
Then God's ears echoed with a sound pleasant and old. The first people of His promise - the sons of Abraham, the daughters of Sarah, the children of Israel - filled those ancient hills with sacred songs for the Messiah. They were the first to learn the song, and from their blessing they blessed the world. And the one who was once despised as the King of the Jews, is now heralded in their Hebrew as the King of Kings.
Across the Red Sea and down to the south, drums began banging, dust began flying, and tiny black feet hopped with excitement – this is worship on the African plain. Beads of sweat poured from joyful faces, but their smiles never once grew tired. Such joy could set the world on fire.
In the Old Christian world of Europe, massive cathedrals sat empty. Their pipe organs didn’t burst with the ballads of Bach or Beethoven. In the past fifty years, “high church” has been replaced by “no church”. Yet, still in tiny pockets around the land of Luther and Calvin, glimpses of Christ’s bride may still be found. The song is not as strong as it once was, but it is still there nevertheless.
And then the sun rose on the Americas. Across two continents the sound of praise broke forth. And as people in Boston and New York and Atlanta and Miami took hymnals in hand or turned eyes towards a screen, they began the last wave of worship that would sweep the world this Sunday morning. But before the chorus of Christ’s bride ended, God had one more voice he wanted to hear. It was a young voice, a fresh voice, and it was found in Tupelo, Mississippi.
So now God listens for us. The Father’s ear is bent ever so slightly to hear the sound of this new faith family finding her voice. He wants to know, “Do they sing with passion?” He wants to know, “Do they sing with pride, unashamed of me?” He wants to know, “Do they sing because they have to do it, or do they sing because they want to do it? Is this for them a duty? Or is this for them a desire?”
He isn’t all worked up about what we sing – a hymn, a praise chorus, a modern worship song. He isn’t impressed by how we sing – off key, out of tune, or virtuoso. Because it's not about the song. And it's not about the sound. It's about the Savior. The only one in this whole world worthy of praising.
O for a thousand tongues to sing, Our great Redeemer's praise!
Make that a thousand and one.
Get ready church! It’s our turn now! Sing loud, sing proud! The Father is listening!
Kevin
October 1, 2006