I’ve been exploring some of the very modern worship songs as an old guy 😀. But now, I’ve decided to alternate between very modern hymns, old hymns, and in-between hymns, namely the worship songs from the 60s to the 90s that feature in hymnbooks such as Mission Praise. Today it’s the turn of the very modern hymns.
Today’s song is From the Inside Out from 2006.
This one has an intriguing title. What’s meant by inside out?
I think of the Pixar movie, but I don’t think that I’ve seen that yet. I do sometimes mistakenly put clothing on inside out 😀.
Well, all worship comes from the inside out. It should come from our hearts, and it’s directed towards God. Anytime worship comes towards us, from the outside in, we should reject it. It’s unlikely to happen, but I can think of two instances in the New Testament, where people were taken to task for directing worship to anyone other than God.
Acts 10:25-26
25 As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. 26 But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”
Revelation 22:8
I, John, am the one who heard and saw these things. And when I had heard and seen them, I fell down to worship at the feet of the angel who had been showing them to me. 9 But he said to me, “Don’t do that! I am a fellow servant with you and with your fellow prophets and with all who keep the words of this scroll. Worship God!”
I often think of these verses when I see people directing worship towards Mary and the Saints. The word “veneration” is used rather than “worship”, but to me, there’s little difference. What does venerate mean? Seems that it means to regard someone or something with deep respect, reverence, and awe.
Well, that’s fine as long as you don’t treat them like gods. I venerate many evangelical preachers of old, such as John Wesley, but I don’t pray to them or bow down to their statues or pictures. And I think that I’d have a sense of awe if someone like Paul McCartney called to my house, but I wouldn’t fall at his feet. I’d much sooner chat to him. He was pleased to have girls screaming at him, but I don’t think he’d have wanted people venerating him in the way that people venerate saints.
Anyway, let’s get back to the hymn. It’s not only worship towards God from the inside out, but the hymn calls God to work deep within us. Perhaps if we think in terms of the outside in, we might think of the influence of those around us, which is not bad thing if we are surrounded by godly people. But the hymn calls on God to work at a much deeper level.
In my heart, in my soul
I give you control
Consume me from the inside out
Let justice and praise
Become my embrace
To love you from the inside out
Here are some other versions of today’s song:
Hibernia Gospel 