The Gift Of Music

We are a church that loves to sing. I know there are those of you who have trouble participating when we sing, because you feel your voice isn’t worthy. I once read of a man who approached his Pastor and said; “you haven’t heard how poorly I sing. I know the Bible says ‘Make a joyful noise,’ and I have the ‘noise’ part covered – but my singing sounds like an injured moose!”

The problem with this reasoning is that this particular man isn’t singing for his Pastor. He isn’t singing for the people surrounding him in the pews. He sings for the pleasure of God, who accepts gifts based on the heart, not the craftsmanship. If you have a range of one note, that note is all the more beautiful in the ears of the Lord, if it’s offered up to Him. In David Jeremiah’s book “My Heart’s Desire”, he says; “The joyfulness of the joyful noise isn’t determined by the social evaluation of your instrument, but by the divine evaluation of your heart.”

True worship puts the song within you and leaves it in place throughout the week. The melody may be first heard in full voice in the sanctuary of the church, but the melody lingers on as you move through your week, at work, at school, when you’re exercising, when you’re driving, when you’re shopping. Have you noticed that? I believe that music reminds us that worship continues on throughout the week, and not just on Sunday mornings.

Music after all is amazing. Studies seem to indicate that your potted plant grows more rapidly and robustly if Mozart is playing in the room. Can you doubt that you and I, created in the very image of God, will grow more like Him, and more quickly, when His melodies and His truths are the music that fills our lives? Music fills the world we live in, from radios in our cars to music in elevators, to birds singing at the crack of dawn, to organ music at baseball games, to downloaded music heard on over 150 million Ipods sold as of one year ago, and on and on. We are wired for music, and I believe it is a true expression that brings glory to God. And it brings peace to our hearts. This morning we sang a patriotic song “America the Beautiful.” Not only did we sing this glorious song with joy, but I could tell the melody and the words stirred us all. “America, America, God shed His grace on Thee. And crown Thy good with brotherhood, from sea to shining sea.” We are asking for God’s grace on our country that desperately needs it more than ever. And then we sang “God Bless America” – “Land that I love, stand beside her and guide her, through the night with a light from above.” “God bless America, my home sweet home.”

Every time I sing or hear this song an image comes to mind and forever will. On the night of September 11th, the United States Senators gathered on the steps of the Capital building and sang this song. These officials were not elected for their singing ability. In fact, I’m sure all of us had never heard any of them sing, but it didn’t matter. They sang as an expression of worship, asking for God’s hand to be on our country especially in light of the tragic events of the day.

God Bless America was sung again at the reopening of the Stock Market the following Monday after our country was devestated, and Baseball officials declared that it would be sung during the 7th inning stretch of all Sunday major league ballgames.

Think about the importance of music in your own life? Music softens our hearts and allows God to speak to us. In Paul’s letter to the Ephesians and a parallel passage to the Colossians he writes; “Be filled with the spirit, speaking to one another in Psalms and Hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.” Chapter 5 verses 18-21. Colossians 3:16 says, “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” When I hear the word admonish, the last thing I think about is singing, but perhaps I should. It’s impossible to be angry and singing at the same time. Next time you’re frustrated about something or with someone, start signing “I Love You Lord and I lift my voice, to worship you, oh my soul rejoice. Take joy my King in what you hear. Let it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear.”