As a part of the youth conference that I’m at this week, I got to hear Tenth Avenue North. Not only did they put on a great concert, they led us in worship in such a way that made me cry. It was beautiful. But I was disappointed in one aspect of their concert.
They didn’t sing my favorite song.
I’ve heard Tenth Avenue North in concert at least twice before, and both times they sang their song, “You Don’t Owe Me.” It’s a great song about how God doesn’t owe us anything.
But they didn’t sing it this time.
In fact, they didn’t sing a single song that I knew. At least not any that I knew well. I think I knew one line of one of the choruses they sang.
And yet I still was able to worship and enjoyed the time of worship. Why? Because worship isn’t about me. It’s not about my favorite songs, my favorite genre, or even whether they sing any songs I even know at all.
You see, God doesn’t owe us anything. When we get entitled about our worship preferences, we make worship more about us than about God.
But this only scratches the surface of the conversation that springs from this topic. Because this applies not only to what we sing, but to every aspect of our churches and every aspect of our lives. God doesn’t owe us anything.
And yet, God gives us everything good we could ever need and desire in Jesus. It’s true. Hebrews 13:21. James 1:17. Matthew 7:11. 2 Peter 1:3. Look ’em up. Believe it, and worship.