August 7, 2022 -- I Chronicles 25:5-8 -- Trained for Worship

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All these were the sons of Heman the king's seer, according to the promise of God to exalt him, for God had given Heman fourteen sons and three daughters. 6 They were all under the direction of their father in the music in the house of the LORD with cymbals, harps, and lyres for the service of the house of God. Asaph, Jeduthun, and Heman were under the order of the king. 7 The number of them along with their brothers, who were trained in singing to the LORD, all who were skillful, was 288. 8 And they cast lots for their duties, small and great, teacher and pupil alike.
I Chronicles 25:5-8 ESV

There is a joke I’ve heard that goes something like this.
Speaker “I wanted to be a great musician.”
Friend “What happened?”
Speaker: “I wasn’t any good.”
Friend: “Well, then you could be a worship leader in our church.”

Ouch! Look at the Scrpture text again. Notice the emphasis on the skill of the musicians in the house of the LORD. They were trained in singing. There were teachers and pupils. Why does this matter? The work of worshiping the LORD is not a matter of slapping something together. He is great. Musicians and singers in the secular world spend many hours in training before joining orchestras. This dedicated time of training is all spent with the goal of becoming professional and thus giving audiences pleasure. The LORD our God is robed in splendor. He is the Great Audience of One, to Whom all effort and training must be directed.

The book of Leviticus, and here in I Chronicles, there are many chapters which go into finicky detail on how particular offerings and guard duties and the care of the holy things are to be performed in the worship of God. It is a sign of His glory, His majesty, and the worthiness of His Name. In view of Who He Is, His people must give to Him their very best.

Beloved, prepare your heart and mind for worship. Prepare to give to the LORD your God, your best service and your best gifts. Train up those who follow you, to be dedicated to the LORD your God. Jesus Christ has, by His great obedience and Self-sacrifice at the cross, taken away your sin and reproach. The Spirit of God has sealed in you the work of Jesus and given you as beloved sons and daughters of God the LORD—worship Him with your very best.

MIGHTY GOD,

I humble myself for faculties misused,
opportunities neglected,
words ill-advised,
I repent of my folly and inconsiderate ways,
my broken resolutions,
untrue service,
my backsliding steps,
my vain thoughts.
O bury my sins in the ocean of Jesus’ blood,
and let no evil result from my fretful temper,
unseemly behavior, provoking pettiness,
If by unkindness I have wounded or hurt another,
do thou pour in the balm of heavenly consolation;
If I have turned coldly from need, misery, grief,
do not in just anger forsake me:
If I have withheld relief from penury and pain,
do not withhold thy gracious bounty from me.
If I have shunned those who have offended me,
keep open the door of thy heart to my need.
Fill me with an overflowing ocean of compassion,
the reign of love my motive
the law of love my rule.
O thou God of all grace, make me more thankful,
more humble,
Inspire me with a deep sense of my unworthiness
arising from the depravity of my nature,
my omitted duties,
my unimproved advantages,
Thy commands violated by me.
With all my calls to gratitude and joy
may I remember that I have reason to sorrow and humiliation;
O give me repentance unto life;
Cement my oneness with my blessed Lord,
that faith may adhere to Him more immovably,
that love may entwine itself around Him more tightly,
that His spirit may pervade every fibre of my being.
Then send me out to make Him known to my fellow men.

"Humility in Service" The Valley of Vision. ed: A. Bennett. Carlisle, PA: THE BANNER OF TRUTH TRUST. 2020, page 326

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