Did You Intend to Downshift?

Have you ever been in a worship service where you're fully engaged, totally focused on God, singing to Him about how amazing He is, and then the worship leader starts the next song, which is in reality a call to worship? A song that says something like let's celebrate, or come and worship, or come bless the Lord.

It feels like you're downshifting from 60 mph to 15 mph. You already were worshiping God. Why would the worship leader then give a call to worship if you already were worshiping?

We need to pay attention to the flow of words in our set lists. A call to worship belongs at the beginning of a set, not in the middle of the set after our attention has been placed fully on God in adoration of who He is.

Another way in which we downshift and step out of that sweet spot in worship is when we sing about ourselves. Songs that focus on you and me are not truly worship of God. If they exalt our challenges, they deny the victory that Jesus paid for, and we shouldn't want to do that. If they victoriously declare who we are in Christ, that's encouraging, but the purpose of songs like that is to encourage us and for us to encourage one another. They are not truly worship or praise based on what the New Testament shows us regarding praise of Jesus for His miracles or worship as we see in the book of Revelation.

Again, if you're in the sweetness of worship of God, focusing on Him, expressing your love and devotion to Him, declaring His greatness, glory, majesty, and other attributes, the next song or songs shouldn't be about you. You'll step out of the sweet spot and lose the opportunity to fully bless Him for who He is.

All that's required is some attention to the lyrics when we're putting a set list together.