A Heart Tuned to Worship: July 17th Devo

 A Heart Tuned to Worship

July 17th Devotional

Colossians 3:16

On this day in 1674, Isaac Watts was born in Southampton United Kingdom. He was raised in a very religious home, his father was a schoolmaster and a non-conformist of their time. At a young age, Isaac had a tremendous love for music and would often pray in rhyme. He was a devout student in every subject including languages. After graduating he would pastor a large church named Mark Lane Congregational Chapel in London England. While there he started to train young men for the pastorate. Watts is most known for his hymn writing ability. He is considered the godfather of hymnody. Over the course of his life he would write over 750 hymns, many of them still being used over 300 years later in the church. Some of his most famous works are Joy to the World, When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, Our God and Help in Ages Past, and many more. Watts was challenged by his father to write new church music; Watts often complained to his father that the music of that time brought forth a dull indifference in the people. At the time the church sung strictly Psalms from the Old Testament, and while Isaac was not against the use of the Psalms he felt that the church should expand its worship. He broke with tradition and was considered a rebel in his time because of this. He would have been considered a contemporary musician in his era. Isaac Watts ushered in a new era for church worship. Watts was a faithful Pastor, theologian, and hymn writer until his dying day.

Isaac Watts will always be known for his hymns which still stir in the souls of men today. Worship should always be a priority in each believers heart. We may disagree over the styles of worship but we need to agree over the supreme importance of lifting up our voices in praise to God. Our forefathers in the faith have carried on a beautiful legacy of singing to God. Colossians 3:16 says "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God." Paul places equal emphasis on both worship and spending time in God's word. For the Christian worship should come naturally from a heart that is grateful, from a heart that has been set free from sin, from the heart of the redeemed to say thank you God for what you have done. Our voices might not be the most melodious and we might have no idea what harmony means but one of the most powerful things a believer can do is praise God. Let not our praise be confined to what we do on Sundays in the building but let our praise fall from our lips everyday, wherever we may be, and whoever may be near us.