Notes from GK -"Blues-Worship Night"

Quite a few years back GKB (Glenn Kaiser Band) was invited to a Lutheran fellowship in Chicago where I've been quite a few times blessed to share in ministry- great folks indeed.

The pastor asked for a special evening service of blues worship and we complied with songs that very much linked with what you're about to read here. These were my actual notes, shared with those in attendance on the night.

And as always, thanks for stopping by! -Glenn

NOTES FOR BLUES WORSHIP NIGHT -glenn kaiser, May 2009

SCRIPTURES & NOTES (in order)

I will sing of lovingkindness and justice, To You, O LORD, I will sing

praises. Ps. 101.1

Note: 3 things re. this Worship Book of Israel's lyrics- God's

LOVINGKINDNESS, God's JUSTICE and His call to us to do JUSTICE, and

our PRAISES to God. Worship music and a life of worship involves all of these!

Straight blues often involves the first two, at least as they are understood by pre-believers.

He has told you, Oh man, what is good; And what does the LORD require

of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?

Note: Hmmmm. Notice 3 things here? :) You will notice the first two in many

blues lyrics, and various singers often telling their story lyrically with at

least an honesty that at times reveals a sense of personal humility...

though they may not humbly walk with God as such.

Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your

bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your

spiritual service of worship. Rm. 12.1

Note: Blues often calls for mercy ("Lord, have mercy!") but Christians

often disconnect the blues in living life in a fallen world and blues

music or biblical "laments" in song or otherwise from worship. The

reality is that the largest category of Psalm lyrics are laments...

the blues! 57 of the 150 lyrics of the Book of Psalms are laments...

minor-key blues. Jesus was "a man of sorrows, well-acquainted with

grief"... we are to "weep with those who weep", not only "rejoice with

those who rejoice". Real worship in a fallen world, in honest

confession of sin, in surrendering to God regardless of circumstances

which are often tragic and painful (diseases of all sorts, accidents,

crushed dreams, betrayal, failures, death)... THIS is true, spiritual

worship!

Ps. 137

1 By the rivers of Babylon, There we sat down and wept, When we remembered Zion.

2 Upon the willows in the midst of it We hung our harps.

3 For there our captors demanded of us songs, And our tormentors

mirth, saying, “Sing us one of the songs of Zion.”

4 How can we sing the LORD’S song In a foreign land?

Note: If this isn't a blues, a lament, someone tell us what it is?!

The exiled Jews in their captivity juxtapositioned with Hebrews 13.14

(For here we do not have a lasting city, but we are seeking the city

which is to come.) perhaps awakes us to the reality that even Christ-followers live in

the "not yet"... not fully satisfied. There is that longing to see His

Face... to BE HOME! Regardless of the deep joy and peace, the love of

Jesus experienced in our walk with Jesus and one another- we live in a

real world much of which is, put simply, blues.