Doug Van Pelt

Today is 5-5-5

Last night I saw a really good concert. The Rock Bottom Choir, who was interviewed in the latest issue of HM (see the article on "The Austin Music Scene"), opened for The Arcangels, who were once again reuniting as a live band. The world famous blues club was packed and people were treated to a special and passionate performance. Matt McCormack, the lead vocalist for The Rock Bottom Choir, knew his job was to warm up the crowd, so he mentioned that the Arcangels were coming up several times (he mentioned them more than the name of his own band). It was solid music with lots of feeling, spiritual lyrics, and gritty playing. One great song near the end of their set was "Rose," which had the great line in the chorus:

"Be my rose, and I will bring you gardens."

Rock boiled down to its roots sounds really good. The Arcangels kept spreading the quality. It's always so good to see and hear good musicians. Charlie Sexton, Tommy Shannon, Chris Layton, Doyle Bramhall II... These guys understand the pocket and groove ... and make it look easy.

Psalm 42 starts off with a great line that's used in a beautiful worship song (one of the older worship songs that still comes to my lips/mind easily):

"As the deer pants for streams of water,
so my soul pants for you, O God."

That's such a great picture. There's a great line of poetry one line after that:

"My tears have been my food day and night..."

Wow. What a way to describe where his head and heart have been (downfallen). As much as David was down here, he focused on his wonderful God, Who is worthy of praise. Some of my best worship, I am sure, comes when I feel the worst. When I can muster the words to praise God amidst pain or heartache, I know that it's received like gold. I also know that, just like sin or bad habits, good habits can be formed. When I've responded to pain over and over again with praise, it can become ingrained in me and turn into a "natural" reaction. This is a good thing. Even though many have criticized ritual and habits as perhaps "dead" or passion-less, that is an overly-simplistic (and wrong) way to look at it.

That brings to mind a decent maxim:

If you do it to feel it, then eventually you are doing it for the wrong reasons. If you just do it, many times you'll feel it as a by-product.

I like that. If God created us, then that includes our mouths, vocal cords and mind. If that's the case, then our voices were made to praise God, were they not? Then when we praise God with our tongues, we are fulfilling its divine purpose. If you ever longed to be fulfilled, worship God. That is one thing we can do to fulfill our destiny that doesn't require great skills, hours of training, or superior talent. Sometimes the greatest worship is done when there are NO feelings. If praise and worship were only "mountaintop experiences," then they'd be few and far between, and then it'd turn into "feel-good" and "flighty" emotions that can't (and shouldn't be) trusted.

I will worship God -- even when I'm angry -- even when I'm down -- and especially when I'm happy.

Posted by Doug Van Pelt at May 5, 2005 08:24 AM