Almost Made Me Sick

So last night I was up late with the TV on (I was at a hotel and couldn't sleep, more on that later) when an infomercial came on for the Season 1 DVD of "Gifted".

Now, for those of you who don't know what "Gifted" is, it's basically a Christian American Idol. You can see the website at www.giftedshow.com. I have no problem with people showing the gift God gave them, but there was something a bit too much for me.

Backtrack. Back when I was in high school (oh so long ago) the modern worship movement was just starting. It seemed good. Lots of new songs, lots of books and CD's so people could play the songs in church. Good.

Then it got bigger. Christian/worship CD sales were the second highest growing genre in the last few years. Worship was on the radio. Worship leaders were now giving concerts. I had mixed feelings. I'm glad people have the opportunity to hear these songs. People may even be worshipping in their cars while the radio's on, but is it focused worship? Are people really thinking about how God is holy or merely humming along to "Holy Is The Lord" while it's on in the background? Are we praising God or the laser light show? So many questions...

But this one made me sick. I mean sick. Like I said, if God gave you a talent and you want to use it, maybe even let people know God gave it to you, fine. But then, during this infomercial for the DVD set, I heard "How Great Is Our God", a wonderful worship song that is pretty much summed up in the title. And it was being sung by someone promoting themselves to win a recording contract. Singing "How Great Is Our God" to promote to judges "How Great Am I".

And I couldn't take it anymore.

I don't know where the line is. I don't know everything there is to know about worship. I honestly think our view of worship is quite small and think God would like it to be bigger. But is this really it? Singing songs written for God possibly even inspired by God to worship Him, use all this so I can show how good I am? I believe in doing a good job for God, giving Him our best, but is this really right? Am I off base here or is taking a song of worship and completely shifting the focus off of God onto ourselves okay? Can these singers actually say they were worshipping God while trying to show how good they were and earn a recording contract? It's possible, but probable? Even right?

One more thing that got me. The grand finale was all the contestants together singing the "hit radio single Amazing Love". Not "song of worship to God", not "wonderful song of praise", but "hit radio single". Honestly...

"What I do is done for My own sake—
I will not let My Name be dishonoured
or let anyone else share the glory
that should be Mine and Mine alone." ~ Is. 48:11

T

(we have no right to His glory, He has no need to share it, the only glory we get we don't deserve but is shared with us for being His children, see Ro. 8:17, Heb. 2:10, Col. 3:4. God is not being vain or proud in this verse, HE IS GOD. He is the only Being in all of time who can honestly say He deserves all glory because He does... because He is God).

I'll stop. I could go on forever on this...