It's almost as if he's more concerned about worship than music. Funny that. I guess he said as much. What a great, and important distinction. Worship is not music. But that's what we've reduced it to. And since we've made worship synonymous with music, the Church regularly engages in "worship wars"--which are not about worship at all, but all about musical style and personal preference.
Worship focuses on God and His character and His greatness. I loved Aaron's fixation with that, despite all the heartache he and his wife have been through in losing three little ones. Those tragedies became the catalyst for worshipping God on a whole new level. They also became context in which their worship was able to be seen and tested for what it really is. Also the context in which God, the object of their worship, is seen more accurately for who He is: in spite of seeming evidence to the contrary, no charge can be levelled in this fallen world against the perfections of His character. Ultimately, God brought good from the evil, which was the loss of their little ones, and taught them how to become true worshippers, how to "worship in spirit and in truth" (Jn 4:24).
Is it possible that authentic worship of God when life is falling apart is qualitatively better than authentic worship when everything's peaches and cream? That would certainly add an extra dimension to the question of theodicy--maintaining God's character in light of evil and suffering.
I am grateful for Aaron's rare and biblical emphasis in an age where we increasingly ask and expect God to dance to our tune. Job cried out in 13:15 "even though He slay me, yet will I trust him." What an unparalleled expression of trust. Of faith. Of worship.
Lord God, may I, may we, worship you by affirming your unwavering goodness and love no matter what we experience in life. The way Job did. The way Aaron does.
