If we as Christians expect to have an impact in our world, than we must needs first start with our worship of the Most High God. How about the music? I’ve heard people say they don’t want to play for church because the songs are kind of boring. Or we sing to many psalms. Or we need more upbeat music in general. “Those hymns are pretty slow. We need to sing things that fill your soul with fire, or at least gets your blood flowing!” But how are we supposed to worship? This ties into several things that I’ve seen recently. It all boils down, as always, to our view of God. Are we there to worship so that we feel better, or are we there to worship because He is ALMIGHTY GOD and it’s the greatest honor we can have in world?

            Now before we get started, I want to say that I enjoy music. I love singing! (Even when it sounds pretty bad…) Many genres, and many styles. But even though I like Coldplay, it would be nearly blasphemous to sing “Viva La Vida” for a worship service.

Music appears all over in the bible. This isn’t even a question of whether we should have music in worship. We should. But even if there is a great song, it doesn’t mean that we can sing it for church. Just as you would not play a waltz at a funeral, or ragtime for when the bride is walking the aisle, so we must be cautious what music we insert into our worship. I feel that many of my evangelical friends want to insert music “they like” into worship, instead of looking at what its purpose is, and what the occasion is. I love Tchaikovsky, but I wouldn’t play his work for a church service. The problem is not with the song itself, or music in general, but rather the occasion.

Hebrews 12:28-29 says “Wherefore we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be moved, let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptable with reverence and godly fear: for our God is a consuming fire.” Consuming fire. He’s not a God who is just happy with anything we throw at Him, so long “as our hearts are in the right place”. Much of the Old Testament is a story of Israelites who strayed from Him just a little bit, made a smug of the fine line, and were punished. Cain, Nadab and Abihu, and many others. Offering wrong sacrifices happened over and over. Our worship is a sacrifice in a way. It should be a “pleasant aroma to Heaven”, and God has shown us what is pleasant and what is not. In worship, music is a strong part of the service. Some music is superior in some settings, and sometimes it is inferior. Just as Mozart fits a cathedral, it just isn’t right to watch a wrestling match or hockey game in a cathedral. So it all comes down to what music is fitting and appropriate. Amos 5:21-24 speaks about how God despised the sacrifices, not necessarily because they were wrong, but because the hearts of the people were wrong. If you were asked to sing before the Queen, would we be so flippant as we are during worship? Getting up or talking, thinking about dinner later that day, or what we want for our coming birthday? If you were with the Queen, you wouldn’t be able to focus on anything else except the fact that she was talking to you! How much more with God?

So we keep talking (or I keep talking, you’re just sitting there shaking your head and grumbling to yourself, asking why you’re reading this instead of reading the news) about what music is appropriate, but how do we actually determine that? We are tempted so often to determine if the music is appropriate by “how it made me feel.” Well, hate to break it to you, but in this matter, you don’t really matter that much! The music is for the worship of GOD, not trying to fill you with warm fuzzies! We are told to sing “songs, psalms, and spiritual songs.” The main purpose of our worship is to glorify God. Not to fill us with fuzzies, get us to run the aisles, or lull us to sleep. The temple musicians were required to be skilled.

Col. 3:16 talks about how we must have the spirit of God dwell in us richly, and the result is rich music. Our music must be beautiful, from out heart, and truth from His word. Not some repetitive ditty that repeats the same verse fifty times, but something with meaning and power. I strongly feel that the music should be more complex. It should be difficult because we want to give our best to God! And we don’t just sing the words because that’s what we’re supposed to do. We sing with all the gusto we can gather (even if we’re a terrible singer. You’re not singing to the people next to you!) And we do all this for one reason alone: God is worthy!

I don’t feel that the modern style of Christian music that you hear on the radio is appropriate because it is so easy to lose your focus on God. When singing “Immortal, Invisible, God only wise”, it’s a little harder to focus on yourself than when you’re singing along with a full drum set and guitar solo, singing “Jesus is my boyfriend” songs, and running the aisle (that’s why you wore sneakers to church, right?) The focus isn’t supposed to be on us, but on God. It is meant to glorify and worship HIM, not us, and if we as the church want to start making a difference, than it must start in our worship. The music is just one small part of it!

Now as an aside, I will grant that some bands have songs that are closer to what we might sing in church: Newsboys, Casting Crowns, etc. These are good songs, and many of them are ok to sing in church, but you want to be careful that it’s not the only thing you’re singing. Within the psalms, there are many different types of psalm. Other than praise, there are penitentiary psalms, psalms of blessing, asking for deliverance. We don’t sing the same type over and over. And so it should be with our hymns. It is fine to sing a “gung-ho praise song” every now and then, but it shouldn’t be the only thing we sing. As always, it takes discretion and wisdom. Doesn’t all of life…

I posted this on facebook awhile back, and people still keep mentioning it or commenting about it. So for your approval

            I get many reactions when I tell people that I’m going into the SEALs. Everything from “Oh, so you’re one of those people that want to defend the jerks in Washington”, to “So you’re a Bush-guy war monger? Or do you just want to kill people?” And everything in between. But what does it really mean? Sometimes I try and explain, but often times I just turn away, and think, “It’s so much more than that.” How do you explain to someone who thinks you’re crazy that it’s not really that? Well, maybe I am a little crazy, (or a lot… it’s under debate) but that’s beside the point! How do you tell people that you don’t want to join the most extreme and difficult military team in the world just to kill people, when they’re dead set that that’s what you’re doing? Or talk to someone who feels that you’re doing it because you’re a liberal (which I am not, if you haven’t figured out), and you just want to “defend your kind”. Why would those be worth fighting for? If it was only that which I was fighting for, I could join a gang or the police.

            Some people may very well think I’m crazy. Especially after reading some of my notes. But other than that, why would someone want to join a military branch where everything is pushed to absolute extremes, and your daily life is something that most people consider impossible? Let’s start at the beginning (I think it’s a pretty good place to start). First off, as a Christian, I believe that murder is wrong. However, I do know that sometimes to prevent something worse, people must be punished. For instance, David is called a “bloody man” several times, and yet was also called “a man after God’s own heart”. There were good and bad things about him being a bloody man. He wasn’t allowed to build the temple, but he was promised that a nation would rise from him. Because he was a bloody man, he couldn’t fulfill the position of priest, but he could raise a nation. And in that time in Israel’s history, that was what they needed.

            Also, I believe that everyone has a different calling in life. There are PLENTY of jobs that I could not do, and often times for little things like not knowing computers or not being able to sit still for eight hours driving a bus. But this is one job that I see should be filled, and I feel that I can do it. God has given each of us special talents. So am I a warmonger? NO! I hate killing and think that it’s one of the most unnatural and hateful sins. Most don’t understand what it’s like to absolutely hate violence. “In the jungle when two tigers fight, one is maimed, and the other killed.” (Master Funakoshi) Whenever you have a battle, there are always losses. Even with the victors. You can never have a fight where no one gets hurt.

And I believe that a lot of people don’t understand this. They want to fight because it’s “cool”, or maybe they just want to prove something. But war is terrible. Killing is terrible. You are scarred for life, and those who deny it before hand are often scarred terribly. Without God, it is impossible to live with that fact. Most people have terrible mental injuries. “I hate war as only a soldier who has lived it can, only as one who has seen its brutality, its futility, its stupidity.” (Dwight D Eisenhower)

But I want to live by this: “The fastest draw is when the sword never leaves the scabbard, the strongest way to block, is never to provoke a blow, and the cleanest cut is the one withheld.” (Samurai proverb) It’s true, I don’t want to have to take someone’s life. But if I needed to, I would. But never, ever would it be easy for me! The SEALs say, “the more you sweat in training, the less you bleed in battle.” Train for max pain, so that you may live to fight again. But also, when one of their numbers die, it hurts that much more. When Operation Redwing failed, 11 SEALs were killed. The largest KIA ever in SEAL history. And as such, it hurt that much more. As a British soldier put it, “Look at an infantryman's eyes and you can tell how much war he has seen.” War is a terrible thing. And we humans are not invincible. We like to think we are, but think about how easily it is for us to get hurt and die. One bullet, a car wreck, or even slipping on ice. Drowning, and there are hundreds of other things that kill. Fragilely and wonderfully made.

I heard a Japanese proverb that said, “Only a true warrior may choose pacifism.” And I don’t mean, “Only someone who is really violent can be a pacifist.” What I mean is “only those who have seen action truly know how terrible and despicable it is. So only they have ability and the knowledge to do what needs to be done to prevent it.” Which is what bugs me so much about hardly anyone in our government having been in the military. They sit there making rules for the soldiers, and yet have no idea about what it’s like on the field. So do I think war is necessary? Definitely. So long as there are people out there who want to kill and terrorize people to get their way, I believe that I should stand and stop them. “What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us.” (Unknown)  We each have our own strengths.

Let me share a shortened story with you:

By Dave Grossman

One Vietnam veteran, an old retired colonel, once said this to me: "Most of the people in our society are sheep. They are kind, gentle, productive creatures who can only hurt one another by accident."

Most citizens are kind, decent people who are not capable of hurting each other, except by accident or under extreme provocation. They are sheep.

I mean nothing negative by calling them sheep. To me it is like the pretty, blue robin's egg. Inside it is soft and gooey but someday it will grow into something wonderful. But the egg cannot survive without its hard blue shell. Police officers, soldiers and other warriors are like that shell, and someday the civilization they protect will grow into something wonderful. For now, though, they need warriors to protect them from the predators.

"There are the wolves," the old war veteran said, "and the wolves feed on the sheep without mercy." Do you believe there are wolves out there who will feed on the flock without mercy? You better believe it. There are evil men in this world and they are capable of evil deeds. The moment you forget that or pretend it is not so, you become a sheep. There is no safety in denial.

"Then there are sheepdogs," he went on, "and I'm a sheepdog. I live to protect the flock and confront the wolf."

If you have no capacity for violence then you are a healthy productive citizen: a sheep. If you have a capacity for violence and no empathy for your fellow citizens, then you have defined an aggressive sociopath--a wolf. But what if you have a capacity for violence, and a deep love for your fellow citizens? Then you are a sheepdog, a warrior, someone who is walking the hero's path. Someone who can walk into the heart of darkness, into the universal human phobia, and walk out unscathed.
 
The sheep generally do not like the sheepdog. He looks a lot like the wolf. He has fangs and the capacity for violence. The difference, though, is that the sheepdog must not, cannot and will not ever harm the sheep. Any sheepdog that intentionally harms the lowliest little lamb will be punished and removed. The world cannot work any other way, at least not in a representative democracy or a republic such as ours.

Still, the sheepdog disturbs the sheep. He is a constant reminder that there are wolves in the land. They would prefer that he didn't tell them where to go, or give them traffic tickets, or stand at the ready in our airports in camouflage fatigues holding an M-16. The sheep would much rather have the sheepdog cash in his fangs, spray paint himself white, and go, "Baa." Until the wolf shows up. Then the entire flock tries desperately to hide behind one lonely sheepdog. As Kipling said in his poem about "Tommy" the British soldier:

While it's Tommy this, an' Tommy that,
an' "Tommy, fall be'ind,"
But it's "Please to walk in front, sir,"
when there's trouble in the wind,
There's trouble in the wind, my boys,
there's trouble in the wind,
O it's "Please to walk in front, sir,"
when there's trouble in the wind.

Understand that there is nothing morally superior about being a sheepdog; it is just what you choose to be. Also understand that a sheepdog is a funny critter: He is always sniffing around out on the perimeter, checking the breeze, barking at things that go bump in the night, and yearning for a righteous battle. That is, the young sheepdogs yearn for a righteous battle. The old sheepdogs are a little older and wiser, but they move to the sound of the guns when needed right along with the young ones.

Here is how the sheep and the sheepdog think differently: The sheep pretend the wolf will never come, but the sheepdog lives for that day. After the attacks on September 11, 2001, most citizens in America said, "Thank God I wasn't on one of those planes." The sheepdogs, the warriors, said, "Dear God, I wish I could have been on one of those planes. Maybe I could have made a difference." When you are truly transformed into a warrior and have truly invested yourself into warriorhood, you want to be there. You want to be able to make a difference.

While there is nothing morally superior about the sheepdog, the warrior, he does have one real advantage -- only one. He is able to survive and thrive in an environment that destroys 98 percent of the population.

So that is what I am. A sheepdog. It angers me when I see people hurt. I long to protect the weak and innocent. Will I get respect for it? From some, yes. From many, no. Does that really matter? Let me put it this way instead: even if it did matter, would it stop me? Probably not. I’m not saying that I don’t respect people. No, I love people! I look around me, and can see it all passing away. It is so easy to bring grief. Like I said, I can’t stand it when I hear stories of people getting mugged, or see people who have scars from violent crimes. I don’t know why, but it always angers me. I hate to see people helpless. So that is why I want to be a SEAL. I want to able to fight that. I want to be able to stand up for those who cannot or will not stand up for themselves.

Of course, that raises the question: where do you draw the line? Do you take down everyone who is mean-spirited? Do you stand up for everyone who tries to disown you and cast you down? Of course not. That is where wisdom comes in. You need to know when to say, “I’ve done enough”, and when to say “nothings going to stop me!”

And as George Washington put it, “The best way to keep peace is to be prepared for war.” Yes, even though it is now politically incorrect to call them terrorists, I will still call them that. For that is what they are. And so long as they and others are out there, the only way to dissuade them is to show them that you are ready to fight if need be. We lived for over one hundred years without terrorist attacks. Why? Because we conquered them at Tripoli, and we beat the English, the Germans, the Japanese, and anyone else who wanted to fight. But with all of them, we let them keep their land and continue to grow. Until Korea and Vietnam. Then all the sudden the American public wasn’t behind the military, and we decided that we didn’t need to win. Since then, we’ve gone halfway into several countries. And back in the 90’s when we were first attacked by terrorists, we didn’t stop them. So now they have seen that the time is ripe, and America is ready to fall. And we don’t have anyone in power with the guts to stand up to them, or the wisdom to do it correctly.

But there’s an even yet bigger part of the equation. You probably saw this coming, but I feel that the military (and our country) have turned from God. We are godless and proud of it. We chase the temptations of the world, and mock anyone who has enough wisdom to turn away. We want everyone to do as we do, because then we can feel justified. We live with our boyfriend/girlfriend, and our reason is “well, everyone else is doing it.” We live in a “me” centered world. This is what the terrorists see and mock. And the American military may be one the best and cleanest militaries in the world, but it is still full of perverse and foolish men and women. True, they “stand for their morals.” But the problem is with their morals. They say they’re good people, but good by their standards. And God’s are much higher! (If you want more of my thoughts on morals, read my note “Morals”. That’s the way it is with most of this. If you have thoughts, I have probably already written a note on it.)

So why the Navy SEALs? Well, I heard about them when I was about 8-9, and by the time I was about 11, I pretty much had my mind made up that that was what I wanted to do. Why? I still don’t completely know! People ask me that, and I can’t really answer. If I wanted to answer fully, it’d take me hours. It’s not something I can point to and say, “This is why I want to be a SEAL!” It’s everything. Sitting on a couch at friends’ houses, I notice that I’m always listening, always alert. It’s not intentional; it’s just a part of who I am. When driving or riding with someone else, I always check traffic. (Which bugs some people) I always feel this need to push myself. To be better!

God has a purpose and use for me and all of us, and life is so much easier if we seek out his will and follow that.

“Only the dead will know the end of the war.” (Plato)

“There's no honorable way to kill, no gentle way to destroy. There is nothing good in war. Except its ending.” (General Lee)

“Honor never grows old, and honor rejoices the heart of age. It does so because honor is, finally, about defending those noble and worthy things that deserve defending, even if it comes at a high cost. In our time, that may mean social disapproval, public scorn, hardship, persecution, or as always, even death itself. The question remains: What is worth defending? What is worth dying for? What is worth living for?” - William J. Bennett - in a lecture to the United States Naval Academy November 24, 1997