Voice - Real Consecration - Sealed Orders Part 6

This is one in a series of posts, sharing the Sealed Orders devotions, day by day, from CMI 2010.  They are based on the "Consecration Hymn," Salvation Army Songbook #525

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At CMI, we hear and participate in worship with the best talents around.  We are so grateful for the way God has gifted each of us – and it’s wonderful that those gifts come in so many different ways for each of us.

Perhaps you have heard music this week that has been technically perfect – all the notes, articulations and phrasing are correct, but it seems to fall flat.  Then there have been moments when you hear a solo from an untrained voice – maybe the tone isn’t quite right or the notes sound a little flat – and yet our souls and hearts were moved.

Perhaps that is how God transforms a consecrated voice.

While practice and accuracy are important to everything we do for God, without giving him the voice itself, our voice will make no impact on its own.  Refined notes without a refined heart are empty.

Now, before you use that as an excuse to miss practice time, remember that everything starts with a consecrated heart.  Consecrating our voices means that we will give more effort – not less, because we want to do our best for God as we worship Him.

Matt Redman wrote a song to reintroduce music to his congregation.  He thought that music and the “mechanics” of worship seemed to have a higher priority than the worship itself.  So he removed music from services at his church for several months.  When he felt the priorities were in the right order, he brought the music back with this song:

When the music fades
All is stripped away, and I simply come
Longing just to bring something that's of worth
That will bless Your heart

I'll bring You more than a song, for a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within through the way things appear
You're looking into my heart

I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You, all about You, Jesus
I'm sorry, Lord, for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You, all about You, Jesus

Take a moment to think about your music.  Is music the focus, or is it really all about Jesus?

Think through a favorite worship song (use the Consecration Hymn or Matt Redman’s song above if you want).   As you think through the song, pray that God will help you consecrate your efforts in worship.

Let Him have more than the song.  Let Him have more than your voice. 

Let Him have your heart.