Admonishing One Another Through Song
Jessalyn Hutto
I stood close to my dear friend who was broken in spirit and who’s heart was brimming with pain. Her eyes held an ocean of tears, an ocean she had already cried and another who’s waves had only begun to stir. We stood together in the gathering of believers and began to sing a song of joy and hope, a song about our Savior. I sang the words to her, full of hope for her future, and she sang the words to me, full of the experienced, sustaining grace of God. As our voices rose to heaven in united praise of the One in whom we have our being, our hearts united in love for one another and our fellowship with the Savior was real, authentic, unhindered by embarrassment or pride. We were singing the Gospel to each other. We were learning from each other. We were ministering to each other.
We exert a great deal of effort to forget those around us as we sing in church so that we can sing without feeling embarrassed or prideful. We want to be able to sing only for the Lord and focus our hearts on him alone. Yet, could we not do this much easier in the comfort of our home, in our very own private prayer closets? God, in his wisdom, commands us to come together and encourage one another through the uniting of our voices. Rather than drifting off into our own personal worship experiences we must remember that there are brothers and sisters in Christ who need to hear the words we are singing, who need to be taught and admonished by our worship. We must also remember that the testimony of believers worshiping the Lord around us is meant to fuel and excite our own worship and knowledge of the Lord as well.
“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.” Colossians 3:16 ESV
“The New Testament Christians gathered in large part to strengthen each other fro the purpose of glorifying God in their daily lives. Hebrews 10:24-25 exhorts us about “not neglecting to meet together” so we can “stir up one another to love and good works.” We’re to be “encouraging one another… When we sing, we’re “teaching and admonishi9ng one another” (Colossians 3:16). To express that reality, I’ll often open my eyes and look out at the congregation as I sing certain lines. I want to remind myself and the church that we’re affirming truth together.” -Worship Matters by Bob Kauflin