I had a thought when I chose the title of my blog. I wanted to define that these are my thoughts, they are not messages from heaven or my chance at preaching. They are my thoughts. When I actually looked up "musing" in the Miriam-Webster online dictionary, I found that the definition first scared me, then clearly defined my intent.
Musings were defined as meditation. That word rings alarm bells in my head. I do not want to go down the road of the New Age movement. When I looked up meditation, I was relieved to find a good definition of my intent on this blog. Meditation: A discourse intending to express it's authors reflections or to guide others in contemplation. I'm not promoting mindless contemplation, but I am promoting a contemplation of where we are in our "modern day Christianity" and a contemplation personally of where we are in our relationship with God.
In light of that, I'd like to muse today about a book I just finished reading. It's titled "The Prodigal Comes Home" by Michael English with Lynn Vincent. It's the story of Michael English who was a very famous Christian singer until he struggled with sin in many forms and almost destroyed his life. He tells of his story and how he walked out of his destructive lifestyle. I came upon this book because I was enthralled by the song he wrote titled "In Christ Alone". Because my own wilderness away from God took place during Michael's rise in the Christian music scene, I had no idea who he was. I was struck by the powerful words to this song. Here are the words :
In Christ Alone - Michael English (Michael English)
In Christ alone will I glory
Though I could pride myself in battles won
For I've been blessed beyond measure
And by His strength alone I overcome
Oh, I could stop and count successes
Like diamonds in my hand
But those trophies could not equal
To the grace by which I stand
In Christ alone I place my trust
And find my glory in the power of the cross
In every victory let it be said of me
My source of strength, my source of hope
Is Christ alone
In Christ alone will I glory
For only by His grace I am redeemed
Only His tender mercy
Could reach beyond my weakness to my need
Now I seek no greater honor
Than just to know Him more
And to count my things but losses
To the glory of the Lord
In his book, he said that even as he received a DOVE award for that song, he was carrying on an extramarital affair. He walked to the podium to accept the award, thinking in his heart," if you all only knew."... These words have haunted me. I did a study called "What kind of honor do you seek?" which discussed honor, how it is to be given and how to handle the whole area of honor. I've always been one who would rather err on the side of caution. I've struggled with my convictions over things such as clapping after songs in church, going to "Christian concerts", and things like this. After reading this book, it helped to solidify for me how I feel about these kinds of things.
I can't participate. I am speaking for me. I can't clap after you've sang a special number at church. No matter how moving the song was, no matter how the song touched my spirit or my soul, I cannot clap. We are to glory in nothing but the Lord, and He will share His Glory with NO ONE!!! The whole idea of a "Christian" awards which are so very similar to the secular world's award shows also make me cringe. We are in this world but we are not to be of this world. What are we doing by just slapping "Christian" on things and thinking it's okay.
What would happen in this world if we ONLY gave God glory? If we refused to accept awards because we did not want any part of His glory? What if Christian singers only led worship to God and did not entertain by putting on concerts? What if our churches were used only for the worship of God? What if you could come to the house of God and learn of Him without having to pay to get in? I don't have all the answers. I'm sure there are plenty of people who could tell me all the thoughts and explainations behind why these things take place, but in the end does it matter to God? How are we advancing the Gospel by these things?
