WORSHIP
Music plays a very significant role in the lives of most of us. There are those of us who are attracted to the music’s flow and tempo, others are attracted to its lyrics, and some are attracted to the artist who interprets it. Whichever angle you are coming from, music affects your intellect, will and emotion. Our mood suddenly changes when we hear a familiar song. Others say that our mood changes ‘for an unknown reason.’ There is always a reason for everything, and music affects our mood.
OUR RESPONSE
When a person understands that God loves him, that Jesus Christ died for his sins in order for him to be saved, his natural response will be to feel sorry for his sins, ask God for forgiveness, and accept Jesus to be his Savior and Lord. We base our decision from the message and not on emotion.
OUR EMOTION
Through emotion, we express how we have clearly understood the message. For those who are familiar with the songs, there is already a readiness of heart, more confident to participate in a celebrative worship. However, no matter how familiar the song is to us, if it’s not in sync with the worship theme, then the intended worshippers will still go home empty, because such experience is based entirely on emotion and not on the message. Emotion may subside easily, but not the message, when it is clearly understood and intellectually responded upon.
Ephesians 5:19-20 – Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (NIV)
THE MESSAGE