I Changed the Words!

Yesterday in our worship service we sang a hymn that we haven't sung in quite a long time.  In fact, I can't remember the last time I sang Come, All Christians, Be Committed in a worship service.  Or anywhere else, for that matter.

But sing it we did.

Come, all Christians, be committed to the service of the Lord.

Make your lives for Him more fitted, Tune your hearts with one accord.....

 

 

And on we sang, until we got to the last verse.

 

Come in praise and adoration, all who on Christ's name believe;

Worship Him with consecration, Grace and love you will receive......

 

Worship Him with consecration.  Except that isn't what I sang.  I sang, Worship Him with concentration. 

 

What??!!  Where did that come from?  Was I having some kind of dyslexic moment? Was that some sort of subliminal message?

 

The dictionary defines consecration as the act of consecrating; dedication to the service and worship of a deity.  So, consecration is a good word for that text.  Worship with an attitude of dedication.  Commit yourself to the Lord's service. That fits into the text of the hymn.

 

On the other hand, concentration is defined as exclusive attention to one object; close mental application. 

 

With that definition in mind, perhaps concentration is an even more appropriate word.  Giving the Lord our exclusive attention is certainly the essence of what worship is.  But how often do we sit in our worship services thinking of any and everything but the Lord!  We're thinking about what we're going to do after the service is over.  Where we'll go for lunch.  What we'll eat.  Wondering if we remembered to turn the stove off before we left home.  Organizing our plans for the rest of the week.  Reviewing our calendars.  Thinking of who we need to call.  And on and on and on we could go.

 

And please don't misunderstand.  I'm as guilty as anyone.  Our minds are "prone to wander", to borrow a phrase from another hymn.

 

So here's a challenge for us the next time we are in a time of worship.  Let's focus on giving the Lord our exclusive attention.  As we worship Him with consecration, let's also worship Him with concentration!

 

"Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and His greatness is unsearchable."  (Psalm 145:3)

To hear a Methodist church choir sing Come, All Christians, Be Committed, click on this link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qi0LrzhRBWs