A Nutritious Part of a Balanced Life. Part II: The worship pyramid.

Ah, that icon of the elementary school lunch room! The Nutrition Pyramid. Its vibrant colors and cartoonish images of food daily reminded us that we needed a little of everything – fruits, vegetables, meats, cereals, dairy, & sweets. It’s funny that what came on the trays in the lunchroom rarely resembled the proportions that the pyramid preached.

In worship there is also a balanced diet. (For the purposes of this article when I speak of worship, I am referring to music; however, these types apply to all forms.) There is worship that drives us, worship that forms us, worship that moves us, and worship that comforts us. You will never hear me willing speak of “traditional” and “contemporary” worship, because all worship is both traditional and contemporary! If we sing an 800 year old song, it is contemporary worship, because we are currently singing it. If we sing a song written 8 minutes ago, it is traditional worship, because we are joining in with centuries of worshippers who wrote new songs and sang them to God.

Worship that drives us is high energy. It speaks of God’s action in the world, and often comes in the form of a song that makes declarative statements to one another, or calls one another to some action. Some examples of this type are: Psalm 34, Onward Christian Soldiers, and Come Now is the Time to Worship.

Worship that forms us links us with the whole story of who God is. It is often grand and majestic, and is concerned with not only worshipping, but teaching and affirming doctrine. Some examples of this type are: Psalm 78, A Mighty Fortress Is Our God, and That’s Why We Praise Him.

Worship that moves us is emotive. It can be both fast or slow, but it grabs our emotions! It is worship that seeks to passionately praise God. Often these songs are sung directly to God, and take the shape of prayers. Some examples of this type are: Psalm 86, I Surrender All, Hallelujah (Your Love Makes Me Sing) and Take My Life (Holiness).

Worship that comforts us can be summed up, “be still and know.” These are the songs where we can let go of the worries of our day and be ministered to by the silence. This songs are often introspective of our current circumstances or extolling the faithfulness of God. Some examples of this type are: Psalm 121, Great is Thy Faithfulness, It Is Well, Sanctuary, and Spirit of the Living God.

Depending on our personality types and circumstances of life, we will naturally be drawn more to one than the other. For example, I love sweet food. Ice cream, dark chocolate, cookies, you name it, I like it; but I have to diversify my diet beyond my favorite dish, or my health will decline. Likewise we must participate in all the kinds of worship to maintain our spiritual health.

Were you able to identify your natural worship style? The homework this week is to consciously worship God in at least two styles outside of your favorite. Find a Psalm, sing a song, or pray a prayer that encompasses one of the other styles, and work your way into a healthy worship diet.

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