Why are we singing?

Back then when I was much younger in the faith, what I understood about 'worship' was really limited. It used to be all about me. It was what I could get out of worship - the reassurance, healing and comfort from the words sung, as well as the emotional experience. After church services were over, I used to say,"Worship was good today, hey?" if the songs have ministered to my heart. In saying that, I guess I implied that there were days when worship 'wasn't too good', when the music did not suit my taste or when the worship team did not do too well. Hehhh. When I became a musician in the worship team, I must confess that there were days when I caught myself unconsciously attempting to satisfy the cochlear auditory receptors of the people or to wow the crowd. I would feel extremely bad about the mistakes made, etc. Serious.

Yes. I was young once. Looking back on those days, I blush. >_<'

Of course - when we worship God and marvel over what He has done, we can't help but be strengthened and transformed in every way somehow. Comforted and blessed too. Worship inevitably involves emotions. However, I am learning more and more over the years, that worship is more essentially our offering to God - the ultimate expression of our adoration for and wonder of Him. Not for our appreciation, but for His appreciation. (Who are we to say that God prefers hymns to contemporary songs!? Or vice versa?) Not as much for the ministry to our hearts as the ministry to God's heart. Worship services are not Christian concerts. The God-anointed worship team is not made up of performers merely playing songs to give their audience that ultimate emotional experience or to receive applause, but rather to skillfully lead the congregation into a worshipful, reverent attitude before His holy presence, with the least distractions possible. I'm not saying that it ought to be solely unplanned and spontaneous, or uncreative and unpersonalized. Neither am I harping on the issue of traditional vs contemporary worship. More importantly, is our 'worship' Spirit-led or not? What does it mean to 'worship God in Spirit and in truth' ? Is it then right to compromise Spirit-led reverence for a favourable response from the crowd?

Are we trembling in His presence and singing with reverence in our hearts to God? Can we still worship God when we tunes of the songs do not really appeal to our individual tastes, are our daily activities an act of worship unto Him, or have we lost the true meaning of worship in our churches today?

Food for thought.