Sour and Dour Power

So Sunday I'm looking out as we're singing "How Great is Our God" and my eyes fall on two young couples (late twenties/early thirties) and it was a little unsettling. You might even say it worried me a little. There were four people in a row who were not only not singing, but a one had his arms crossed rather defiantly and another had his hands in in his back pockets as if he were a bored teen enduring some torturous lecture from a parent or teacher. I mean, I love that song but I figured that it must not be for everyone. A little while later we were singing again and I look out to see them with the same apparent demeanor of disdain. This time the song was "Blessed Be Your Name" so I decided it was not disgust over the theology or musicality of the songs. It had to be me. I didn't know these people very well, but I knew who they were and at first it began to bother me. Then I looked out and saw other faces lifted in earnest praise- faces of people like Jim and Sally and Dickie and Latimer and Betty and Bill and on and on and on. And I realized, they weren't focused on me and I shouldn't be either. A consistent prayer of our praise team is for us to be used to God's glory that we may help bring people closer to the throne through our efforts, that we may not be a distraction. I need to remember that prayer throughout the service but also pray that I will not allow myself nor anyone else to be a distraction. For those of you at Highland: Sorry about that. For those of you not at Highland: Pray for the folks that have to look up there at my ugly mug now and then.