Noise in the Sanctuary

“All your pomp has been brought down to the grave, along with the noise of your harps” Isaiah 14: 11 (NIV)

It is possible to be involved in church or in ministry and yet be making only noise, unable to impart life to men. Popularity  is not the same as effectiveness in ministry, and neither is multiplied activity. The seeds that fell on the rocky soil quickly sprang up. It appeared to be genuine but it lacked depth and so when the test came it was discovered for what it was – empty. We must not judge our usefulness by our visibility before men. We must be careful to grow deep roots.

Sometimes we do not originally set out to make noise. The Baal prophets on Mount Carmel were very earnest. They were intent on receiving an answer by fire but they ended up making only noise. Today the church is filled with earnest but empty people. People zealously pursuing one activity after another but only making noise in the sanctuary. We can’t give what we do not have. If we have not taken the time to develop depth – to have a deepening intimacy with Jesus, then our life and ministry will only be noise no matter how hard we try.

The answer is not in concentrating on not making noise but rather in concentrating on having depth. The same harp that is producing noise in this verse is what David used to produce powerful anointing to cast out demons. It’s not in methods or strategies, it’s in what we have in us.