By David Bragg
The famous composer Franz Haydn attended the performance of one of his great works, The Creation, at the Vienna Music Hall in Austria. The audience, aware of Haydn's presence among them, were caught up in the excitement of the orchestra's performance and burst forth with an explosion of applause for the composer. But the elderly Haydn, struggling to stand from his wheelchair, motioned for silence. When the crowd became quiet the composer pointed toward heaven and said, "No, no, not from me, but from thence comes all!" Having given recognition to God, Haydn collapsed into his wheelchair in exhaustion (Daily Bread, September 20, 1992).
God, the only true audience of worship, is the One (and only One) who has the right to demand how He is worshiped. He has authorized in the New Testament the form and modes of worship He will accept. But in addition to that, our worship must go beyond the physical acts. There is a mental, emotional, and spiritual aspect to worship. Each individual worshiper must transform the acts and words of worship into personal praise directed to a loving and majestic God. Think about the words you pray and sing. Exalt God in your worship and then your worship will be praise.
- David Bragg serves as one of the ministers at the Northwest Church of Christ in Greensboro, NC and is co-editor of BulletinGold. He may be contacted through the congregation's website: http://www.nwchurchofchrist.com/ or his blog: http://davidbragg.blogspot.com/
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