I love traditional worship. Especially the music. Especially hymns, played on the organ, loud.
Really loud. I would be the equivalent of a person who enjoys loud rock n’ roll, (which I also enjoy), except that it would be loud organ music (until you can feel your mitral valve vibrate). One of the things that I love most about traditional worship are the hymns.
Hymns were written as instructional tools of the faith. They were early tools of Christian formation. I often find myself paying attention to the lyrics instead of actually singing along with the hymns. So I wonder – do you hear the instructional words in the hymns. Here is one of my favorites, we sang it a couple of weeks ago during worship. From the United Methodist Hymnal #395 “Take time to be Holy.”
Take time to be holy, speak oft with thy Lord; abide in him always, and feed on his word. Make friends of God’s children, help those who are weak, forgetting in nothing his blessing to seek.
Take time to be holy, the world rushes on; spend much time in secret with Jesus alone. By looking to Jesus, like him thou shalt be; thy friends in thy conduct his likeness shall see.
Take time to be holy, let him be thy guide, and run not before him, whatever betide. In joy or in sorrow, still follow the Lord, and, looking to Jesus, still trust in his word.
Take time to be holy, be calm in thy soul, each thought and each motive beneath his control. Thus led by his spirit to fountains of love, thou soon shalt be fitted for service above.
searchingforthinplaces 