Worship Musician February 2020

SACRIFICE “Amazing Grace,” and “I Can Only Imagine” and I will not sacrifice to the LORD my God burnt you will see the cost I’m talking about. I want Reading the Word, praying, and journaling are offerings that cost me nothing. you to remember, though, that God will never part of my everyday. That’s how I continue to 2 Samuel 24:24 NIV require more sacrifice than He gives blessing I had to learn His voice in the quiet place first. grow in my relationship with the Lord. We have (see 2 Cor. 4:17–18). conversations; there’s revelation. Sometimes I When we walk into worship—whether alone get so excited about what the Lord reveals to with the Lord, in a co-writing situation, or in a On many occasions, I’ve walked into a co- me that I can’t wait to get into the writing room. worship-leading situation—and we expect to writing session only to hear someone say, “I Sometimes I leave that time with questions. get something, we’ve got it wrong. Seeking want to write a song like ‘Your Great Name.’” Sometimes it’s crickets. Every day is different. platform, success, or visibility under the I understand what those people mean to some But over time there is more growth and more umbrella of worship won’t work. (Remember degree. But I also want to say, “Do you know depth. Eugene Peterson called it “a long the honesty filter.) In fact, we should be what you’re asking for?” obedience in the same direction.” Some days worshipping only for the sake of giving. And I feel like getting up. Some days I don’t. But I many times, the giving costs us something. do. I’ve seen too much fruit. I’ve had too many It may cost a little; it may cost a lot. Hebrews life-changing encounters. 13:15 says, “Through Jesus, therefore, let us 11 continually offer to God a sacrifice of praise— The same is true of writing in general. I call the fruit of lips that openly profess his name” most of my writing buried treasure. These are (NIV). True worship is a sacrifice. As stated in songs you really have to dig for. They take hard 2 Samuel 24:24, David refused to offer to the work—strength and perseverance. Some of Lord a sacrifice that was free. my buried treasure took years to finish. But the beauty about the practice of buried-treasure Smith Wigglesworth once said, “Great faith is songs is that if you are faithful with them, your the product of great fights. Great testimonies skills will be sharp and you will be well prepared are the outcome of great tests. Great triumphs should a gem simply fall from heaven. Those can only come out of great trials.” 12 are the kinds of songs that seem to be dropped from the sky and require ready hands to catch. And I would add, great songs can come with Through the art of discipline, worship becomes a great cost. a reflex. Read stories of “It Is Well with My Soul,” February 2020 *Excerpted from Writing Worship ©2020 by Krissy Nordhoff. Used by permission of David C Cook. May not be further reproduced. All rights reserved. Krissy Nordhoff Dove Award-winning professional songwriter, worship leader, co-founder of the Brave Worship songwriting community and creator of the Worship Songwriter Mentorship. KrissyNordhoff.com Subscribe for Free... 61

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