The trumpeters and singers joined I N U N I S O N in unison, as with one voice, to ~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~ give praise and thanks to the LORD. -2 Chronicles 5:13 A devotional series for the choir, the worship leader, and anyone desiring to experience or lead in a deeper worship experience. [See the end of this file for more information on the complete series.] The In Unison series is written by David S. Lampel. #12 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A L O N G I N G T O B E N E A R H I M The sons of Korah knew. They knew what it was to yearn for God. As the deer pants for the water brooks, so my soul pants for Thee, O God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God. -Psalm 42:1-2a NASB Has our worship become too organized, too mechanized, too programmed? Have we become so sophisticated in our worship that we are no longer excited by God's presence? The sons of Korah knew the sheer joy of even anticipating time spent with the Lord. How lovely are Thy dwelling places, O Lord of hosts! My soul longed and even yearned for the courts of the Lord; my heart and my flesh sing for joy to the living God. -Psalm 84:1-2 NASB _________________________ The sons of Korah were temple musicians, appointed by King David. These are the men David put in charge of the music in the house of the LORD after the ark came to rest there. They ministered with music before the tabernacle, the Tent of Meeting, until Solomon built the temple of the LORD in Jerusalem. They performed their duties according to the regulations laid down for them. -1 Chronicles 6:31-32 NIV The sanctuary of God was their place of work; they were there every day. How easy it would have been for their worship to become something commonplace, something performed mechanically. But in their case, instead of familiarity breeding contempt, it bred an insatiable passion for the presence of God--a passion so eloquently expressed in the Psalter. What could have become something mundane, became something beautiful and pure. Their words speak of open, rapturous joy found only before the altar of the Lord. _________________________ Where has that passion gone? Where did we lose that unabashed, unashamed delight in communing with our God? He is eternally changeless; the object of our worship is the same as that worshiped by the sons of Korah. So if He is the same, it must be we who have become jaded and so casual with worship. We are the ones who, more often than not, approach our time of corporate worship as an unavoidable interruption of those things we'd rather be doing. Those who lead the worship of others are very often the ones most guilty of indifference to the process. We perform our duties and feel that that service alone is sufficient. We show up on time, lead in the singing of the hymns, sing our anthem and come away thinking ourselves filled--when, in reality, we haven't even unstopped the jar of His riches. Why do we worship? The sons of Korah knew. They knew God so well that they knew the unfathomable depths of His mercies and joy. They knew that time spent on one's knees before the Lord was time that energized the spirit and restored the soul. _________________________ "Great is Thy faithfulness," O God my Father, There is no shadow of turning with Thee; Thou changest not, Thy compassions they fail not; As Thou hast been Thou forever wilt be. Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth, Thy own dear presence to cheer and to guide; Strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow, Blessings all mine with ten thousand beside. "Great is Thy faithfulness! Great is Thy faithfulness! "Morning by morning new mercies I see; All I have needed Thy hand hath provided-- "Great is Thy faithfulness," Lord, unto me! (Thomas O. Chisholm) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Supplement to #11 For background on the Korahite clan, see: Exodus 6:24 Numbers 16:1-49 Numbers 26:9-11,58 1 Chron 9:19 2 Chron 20:19-20 The following Psalms were written by the sons of Korah: Psalm 42:1 Psalm 44:1 Psalm 45:1 Psalm 46:1 Psalm 47:1 Psalm 48:1 Psalm 49:1 Psalm 84:1 Psalm 85:1 Psalm 87:1 Psalm 88:1 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Copyright Information --------------------- All original material in IN UNISON is Copyright (C) 1995 David S. Lampel. This data file is the sole property of David S. Lampel. It may not be altered or edited in any way. It may be reproduced only in its entirety for circulation as "freeware," without charge. All reproductions of this data file must contain the copyright notice (i.e., "Copyright (C) 1995 David S. Lampel."). This data file may not be used without the permission of David S. Lampel for resale or the enhancement of any other product sold. This includes all of its content. With the appropriate copyright notice, this file may be used to enhance or supplement personal or church devotions, newsletters, journals, or spoken messages. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture is from the New International Version. NIV quotations are from the Holy Bible: New International Version, Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984 by the International Bible Society. Used by permission. NASB quotations are from the New American Standard Bible (C) 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1975, 1977 by The Lockman Foundation. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ In Unison was originally written for Music Ministers and Choir Directors to use in conjunction with their weekly rehearsals. It was syndicated in printed form, camera-ready for inclusion in choir newsletters or to be read to the choir as a devotional. It has also been used by Pastors and lay-leaders in many capacities. In Unison is evangelical, and speaks from the position that the choir does not perform for its own pleasure--nor for the pleasure of the congregation--but is, instead, a "prompter" leading and demonstrating the corporate worship for the pleasure of God. Each choir member--as well as every other leader standing on the platform--is responsible to do everything to point the congregation upward to God. In Unison also encourages individual and corporate excellence, based on the premise that after His sacrifice for us, our Lord deserves nothing less. Most issues of In Unison consist of two parts: * The main article has been written to be the "public" portion--either re-printed for each choir member or read to them during a devotional time. * The Supplemental material (accompanying most issues) has been included for the director or leader to use as background to further his or her own study. There is a total of 19 issues making up the complete In Unison series, representing by the following outline: 1. With One Voice 11. Because He Deserves It 2. Up Words 12. A Longing to Be Near Him 3. Loving One Another 13. Excellence: Beginning 4. Demonstrating Praise 14. Excellence: The Debt 5. The Spirit and the Flesh 15. Excellence: For the Prize 6. Three Little Words 16. Excellence: Why? 7. Obeying Our Parent 17. To Be Like Him 8. A Fragrant Offering 18. In Spirit and Truth 9. Worship the King 19. Honesty 10. His Wish, Our Desire ------------------------------------------------------------------- In Unison is distributed free-of-charge, without obligation, in service to our Lord and to His glory. Reader opinions are always welcome, as are insights into the published material. Send all comments to the address below. We always appreciate hearing when someone has been edified by this work. ------------------------------------------------------------------- To receive the complete series via e-mail, inquire with questions, or comment on the material send your request to: "dlampel@dlampel.com" ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ David S. Lampel "For from Him and through Him Winterset, IA USA and to Him are all things. dlampel@dlampel.com To Him be the glory forever. Amen." (Rom 11:36) ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ------------------------------------------------ file: /pub/resources/text/in.unison: inu-012.txt