Anywhere and Everywhere

Today the masses again filed into Waco Hall here on the Baylor campus to attend the required chapel service. Many complain and whine about having to attend, but I don't mind sitting through the short service. Every now and then there are interesting speakers or a good band that plays for us, and today was one of those days. The band was the Dutton Band, which leads worship at University Baptist when David Crowder is not there. That is the same church in which the late Kyle Lake spoke from the pulpit. Front man Logan Walter mentioned that Kyle did not see a line between Christian and secular, something that I am beginning to understand - that faith should not be departmentalized. In Psalms 33 it says, "2Give thanks to the LORD with the lyre; make melody to him with the harp of ten strings! 3Sing to him a new song; play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts." Logan, in response, said that since they didn't have any harps on stage, they would use their guitars. At this point I got chill bumps. God does not appear to man like He did in the times of the Old Testament, but I sometimes see these reactions as the Holy Spirit descending on me. A sense of peace and joy and fulfillment accompanied the chill. I took it as Someone saying that music is the way I best worship my Father. Over six hours later, I still have an immense joy that began at that moment of recognition.

Going back to the line between Christian and secular, I love seeing people use their talents to their fullest. It does not always happen because they don’t realize that they are God-given and should be used for His glory. However, I can worship God by realizing that these talents are, indeed, sent from above and meant for worship. In U2’s latest studio album, I can see evidence of the supernatural in the abstract and concrete. “Sometimes You Can’t Make It on Your Own” relates to the accountability we need to live for the Lord and to live in community. Loving thy neighbor as thyself and the giving up of everything is portrayed in “Miracle Drug”. Very clearly, “Yahweh” is a prayer to our Father. There is no symbolism here, but straightforward requests for the Lord. I feel that the Holy Spirit, whether realized by the band or not, had a very big part in the making of this album. When I listen, I hear more than just notes and melodies, but I hear rejoicing and worship. Beautiful worship.