What Does Your Summer Playlist Sound Like?
One of my favorite memories of summer is cruising around my neighborhood on my 18-speed bicycle, Walkman clipped securely to my belt—because pockets apparently weren't invented until after 1998. I’d pedal hard, flipping sides of the cassette with surgical precision so I wouldn’t miss one second of "Whomp There It Is." Honestly, looking back, I’m not even sure why I needed 18 speeds. I used like two—regular pedaling and "pretending-to-be-going-up-a-hill-but-it’s-actually-flat" pedaling. And let's not forget the classic "Big House" by Audio Adrenaline, which I'm proud to say we still shamelessly rock out to in Shine time. Something about summer just screams for a soundtrack—music has this uncanny ability to amplify joy. Joy is just more joyful when you’re embarrassing your kids with your outdated dance moves.
But have you ever noticed how music is more than just entertainment? It’s a language for things we often struggle to express on our own. Think about how worship is woven through the entire story of the Bible—like the background music that underscores the drama of life with God. When Abraham, in a deeply unsettling act of faith, prepared to offer Isaac, he told his servants something incredible: “Stay here. The boy and I will go over there to worship and then come back here.” (Genesis 22:5) For Abraham, worship wasn't background noise; it was an essential act of trust in God’s goodness, even in confusion.
When God sent Moses to confront Pharaoh, it wasn’t simply to deliver a political statement or an act of liberation for its own sake. The command was clear and powerful: “Let my people go, so that they may worship me in the wilderness.” (Exodus 7:16) Freedom wasn't just freedom from something; it was freedom for worship—an invitation to celebrate and adore God, even in the wildest places of life.
And Joshua, right on the edge of the Promised Land, gathers everyone for Passover, a meal and a moment of worship, right before they take their next big step of faith. Worship was their soundtrack, guiding them through uncertainty and triumph alike.
We all have our playlists. Songs that comfort us, energize us, and sometimes even express our frustrations better than we ever could. Worship is like God’s playlist for humanity, reminding us who we are, whose we are, and helping us find words when life leaves us speechless.
This Sunday, Mark is going to lead us into an exploration of worship. Just a heads up—the order of service will be a bit different. Because worship isn't something we just discuss; it's something we live, something we practice. So this week, we'll start with the message, diving deep into how worship is described in the Psalms. And then we'll put that into practice, spending time together actually worshipping—singing, praising, celebrating. It's an invitation not just to hear about worship, but to become part of the soundtrack that has echoed through generations, reminding us again and again of the God who is always worth singing about.
Grace & Peace
Nathan Lawson