Praise Habit: Finding God in Sunsets and Sushi
One of my goals for this summer is to read more. I have just finished And Now Let’s Move into a Time of Nonsense: Why Worship Songs Are Failing the Church by Nick Page and hopefully I’ll find it in my to write a decent review of the book, which, by the way, is a compelling case for his subtitle, why current worship songs are failing us and what needs to be done for them to improve. Good tips on songwriting, musicianship, and theology of modern worship music.
But anyway, Praise Habit… David Crowder is not only a brilliant musician, he is a great writer. Don’t believe me? Read his blog. He has a great style that is compelling as well as accessible.
Praise habit is a about many things, the main theme of which is regaining our “reflex” of praise, uninhibited, unabashed praise, something we possesed as children, but through years of ridiculing eachother for our objects of praise, being told to “grow up and fall in line” and various other things, we have supressed. The symptoms of this problem are easily seen by anyone on stage during a music time on Sunday morning when we SHOULD be pouring out thankful and broken hearts to our God, but instead are standing, half focussed, hands in pockets, mumbling through words, because either we don’t connect, or have learned that it is improper to rejoice, really rejoice in something.
One of the reasons that he feels we need to get this back is because it can be a very effective, attractive thing. Along those lines, he makes this very compelling observation, which inspired me to blog in the first place.
“…we think that if we pray before a meal, it will set this moment apart and other unbelieving peoples might observe our devoutness and we will make a statement that will surely cause them to stop in their tracks. Then leaving that brief holy event well behind, feeling our obligation to “otherness” consummated, we engross ourselves in the devouring of burgers and French fries. But it is in the moments that follow our prayers that we are able to follow the trail of our true affections, our hidden motivations.
It is in the gluttonous idolatry or tearful gratefulness that we consume the burger.
It is in our conversations over the meal - the valuing or devaluing of the ones with whom we find ourselves exchanging converation. It is found in the gratuity at the end of them meal…”
I will post more as I continue to read. Beautiful stuff.
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