Do you ever wonder if big box stores really represents "progress?" I sincerely question "What measure will we use?" Or, maybe I am stretching out an inches yard stick in a world gone mad with metric measures? The corner Mom and Pop hardware couldn’t compete, but I still love the idea of being able to buy only the number of screws I need, not an odd number, overpriced and in vacuum sealed bags, perforated and hanging among at least 101 additional varieties. I just want one bolt, one nut and two washers! But, "progress" is defined by someone else using a different measurement!
Medical care is another area where "progress" is questionable. No doubt, the abilities of medical professionals are better than they have ever been, except when it comes to making me feel like someone is listening to the patient. My dear wife has seen no fewer than six different medical professionals this year. None of them knows the other. (They communicate with each other with a medical hybrid version of Twitter.) I am her advocate, sometimes having to push and shove verbally to get simple answers about conflicting counsel and contradictory treatment plans.
The church that formed me was primitive by today’s measurement. Our "worship set" consisted of three or four songs picked rather randomly from a gospel songbook. (To use "hymn book" would be a stretch!) An untrained layman would suggest, "Let’s sing hymn number 40." Pages would rustle, the organist played an introduction and we set off on a worship experience. Number 40 was a Fanny Crosby song named, "Praise the Lord" in Melodies of Praise. Our segues were similarly simple, something akin to, "Now, let’s turn to page two." Page two was, "Praise Him! Praise Him!," another joyous, theologically accurate, Fanny Crosby tune. Most of the time we worshiped without a microphone and overhead and digital projectors were still dreams in an inventor’s mind.
Should we rewind and pretend we are in the 1940's or 1950's. NO! We cannot and we will not. I thank God for the new inventions and enjoy much of the beautiful scenery over which song lyrics are superimposed. Lighting is far better today, just in time for my eyes which are forming cataracts! Today’s musicians are accomplished and sound systems add new dimensions to our gatherings. I assert, the measure is not in the production, but in the message. We must first measure our worship experiences by the message presented. Read carefully and sing deliberately, Fanny Crosby’s "Praise the Lord" lyrics.
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,
And opened the Life-gate, that all may go in.
O perfect redemption, the purchase of blood!
To ev’ry believer, the promise of God;The vilest offender who truly believes,
That moment from Jesus a pardon receives.
Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done,
And great our rejoicing thro’ Jesus the Son;
But purer, and higher, and greater will be
Our wonder, our transport when Jesus we see!
Refrain:
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear His voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice!
Oh, come to the Father, thro’ Jesus the Son,
And give Him the glory; great things He hath done.
Ah, the message is wonderful, a worthy foundation for faith and hope! The congregation Jesus used to form me in those primitive worship experiences often segued to verbal praises, an utterance of the Spirit, and a chorus of murmured "Amens!" I felt something then and sense the same Presence and life-giving power as I write now.
This is my personal Fanny Crosby week. I didn’t know that the dear saint also wrote the words of the song on page 40. Not many boys and girls pay attention to the details at the bottom of the hymn book pages. In the era of the Mom and Pop corner hardware and locally-owned pharmacy, complete with marble-topped lunch counter and five-cent ice cream cones, we sang "Praise Him! Praise Him!" and the Spirit moved our hearts. And, not just our few hearts, because the song has been published in more than 300 hymn books!
Sing, O Earth, His wonderful love proclaim!
Hail Him! Hail Him! highest archangels in glory,
Strength and honor give to His holy name!
Like a shepherd, Jesus will guard His children;
In His arms He carries them all day long.
Praise Him! praise Him! Tell of His excellent greatness!
Praise Him! praise Him! Ever in joyful song!
Praise Him! praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
For our sins He suffered, and bled and died;
He our Rock, our hope of eternal salvation,
Hail Him! hail Him! Jesus the crucified.
Sound His praises! Jesus who bore our sorrows,
Love unbounded, wonderful, deep, and strong!
Praise Him! praise Him! Jesus, our blessed Redeemer!
Heavenly portals loud with hosannas ring!
Jesus, Savior, reigneth forever and ever; Crown Him! crown Him! Prophet and Priest and King!
Christ is coming, over the world victorious;
Power and glory unto the Lord belong!
Now, that is a powerful message and great worship!
On occasion I must shop at one of the big-boxes. It is impersonal and difficult to navigate. (I missed the shuttle leaving "hardware" and had to walk to "lawn and garden" the other day. The walk left me so weary I couldn’t finish the project for which I was shopping!) But, I usually go home with what I went to buy. Sometimes I must buy eight screws and I only need three, but that’s "progress."
I am a worshiper. Today’s presentations are far more sophisticated and well-rehearsed. Our pastor is a young man, but he knows Fanny Crosby lyrics. Pastor Ross shares a taste of a by-gone, primitive era with an old tune bearing eternal truth and then segues into Matt Redman’s "10,000 Reasons" and old and new join in adoration of the One who gathers us into joyous assembly. Individuals measure progress differently. I am happy to be a product of a primitive worship experience and embrace progress by those who present the timeless message creatively and powerfully,. The message forms the worshiper.
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