(Revelation 19) [9] Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!...These are the true words of God." At this I fell at his feet to worship him.

As a child, I wondered why John would worship an angel. John, an apostle! How come if I knew that Jesus Christ was the only one who should be worshipped, John didn't? Well, I was wrong. You see, I didn't bow before an angel who led others into worship with God. But I may have esteemed some Christian artists higher than I should have at times. Sometimes I have listened to *their* words and have been more concerned about what they thought than sometimes what God thought.

I don't mean to pick on Amy Grant, and this is not her fault anyway, but I met Amy Grant at an Amy Grant Fan Club meeting in 1998. I tell you one thing: her fans were snapping away picture after picture and it seemed really idolatrous.

I remember being late for church, because I was in the car, being so excited that they were airing Carolyn Arends' interview and she was talking about the Internet. Now, it's OK to like artist interviews and to really like music that Christian artists put out. But sometimes we can get caught up with the artist instead of God's work behind that artist.

Revelation 19 continues and says, [10] But [the angel] said to me, "I am a fellow servant with you...Worship God."

What I respect about Rich Mullins is that he always pointed to God. He said, "But mostly, I hope you [will] know Jesus through whom God has wildly and ferociously loved us."

And I encourage that you would know Jesus overwhelming more than you know about artists and their songs.

E-mail: bluerice@hotmail.com