Calvinists make better worshipers

One blessing of taking Phillip to school each morning is being able to listen to Grace to You -- John MacArthur's daily broadcast. Lately he's been going through a study of Calvinism - you know, the 5 points and all. It's been really excellent! I never get tired of those doctrines of grace -- maybe it's the Dutch side of me, tulips, etc.

To illustrate his point today, MacArthur read the words of one of Charles Wesley's hymns. Wesley was not a Calvinist yet he wrote "Calvinist" hymns!

Long my imprisoned spirit lay,
Fast bound in sin and nature’s night;
Thine eye diffused a quickening ray—
I woke, the dungeon flamed with light;
My chains fell off, my heart was free,
I rose, went forth, and followed Thee.

As MacArthur read those words over the radio, stuck in traffic, complaining kids in the back of the van, I fought back the tears. What beautiful words! We sing this hymn a lot at our home and in our church, but there's something about just hearing the WORDS that struck me this morning. Sometimes, I think music gets in the way of our worship. The words of the songs we sing should be what motivate our worship. If you're not moved to worship God by "I woke, the dungeon flamed with light," you won't be moved to worship by adding a catchy melody and drums. Too many contemporary songs are void of or lacking in meaningful content. If the words can't stand alone are we actually worshiping in "Spirit and Truth" or in emotion and sentiment?