When You Can't Sing

Couldn't sing in worship at church yesterday because my coughing all week left my voice weak and I was saving it for preaching. Today I couldn't hardly speak above a whisper and so I couldn't sing in my personal worship time either - as I normally do.

My heart ached from not getting to sing in community or in personal worship. I mean it - it really ached. Singing has always been one of my favorite parts of worship. God really deserves us singing to Him. I connect with God so much when I sing to Him.

I know music isn't everyone's favorite part of worship and the other worship disciplines are equally important. I tremendously love the study and communication of the Word, meditation, prayer and all of the rest of it. But I honestly don't believe I would be worshipping in the broader sense without a song. No orthodox Christ follower believes music should be left out of worship.

The difficulty arises when you consider the different tastes in music. Being a part of the worship team I know how difficult it is to meet everyone's tastes. Did I say difficult - more like impossible. I understand tastes. We all have different tastes. Nothing wrong with that.

Honestly I can worship comfortably if the music is traditional or contemporary, classical or bluegrassical. You can blend it if you want. You can sing, "A Mighty Fortress Is Our God", one of my favorites, followed by, "Awesome God", and it will be fine with me.

At our church we're trying to sing the music of the people our Vision Statement says we're trying to reach. We're not perfect but we're trying. In fact I've probably been very trying the last two Sundays because my guitar playing hasn't been up to snuff because I was so focused on not being able to sing.

When you can't sing (and I mean you have the ability but can't use it because of illness) you reallly miss it and appreciate it more.