In my last blog, I noted that I am not much into "clothes shopping"- just a few simple and modest outfits (becoming increasingly harder to find) and I am good to go. On the other hand, though, the store that my husband thinks we should receive discounts from because of my frequent visits is the Christian bookstore. While many ladies can spend hours at the mall, I am delighted to be able to browse for half a day or more in the bookstore, seeking the best books and the best music. I am a lover of music and while reading my preacher boy's blog yesterday (go there and be blessed, Letting Your Father Drive), I took my Bible and read a "not so familiar", at least not to me, story about the prophet Elisha and as Scripture is so apt to do, I was captured by the verses that were not Jeff's emphasis.
When Elisha was confronted by the three kings concerning their plight of no water and their future encounter with the enemy king of Moab, Elisha asked for a musician. Interesting, huh? My thought was that maybe he is ruffled in his spirit because he tells the three that if not for Jehoshaphat being represented in the group, he would not give them the time of day! Now, how is that for confrontational preaching? Nevertheless, when the musician played, "the hand of the LORD came upon him" and he instructed the three seeking kings what to do. This reminded me of a king calling for the young shepherd/musician to play for him and as David played his harp skilfully, "Saul would become refreshed and well..." 1 Samuel 16
When Elisha was confronted by the three kings concerning their plight of no water and their future encounter with the enemy king of Moab, Elisha asked for a musician. Interesting, huh? My thought was that maybe he is ruffled in his spirit because he tells the three that if not for Jehoshaphat being represented in the group, he would not give them the time of day! Now, how is that for confrontational preaching? Nevertheless, when the musician played, "the hand of the LORD came upon him" and he instructed the three seeking kings what to do. This reminded me of a king calling for the young shepherd/musician to play for him and as David played his harp skilfully, "Saul would become refreshed and well..." 1 Samuel 16
There is just something about music, the universal language, some say. Just yesterday morning, I posted on FB a video of the song There Is None Like You with beautiful God-created scenes to view while listening and a dear lady who I haven't seen since high school (l-o-o-o-o- n g time ago), replied to me "this song is like warm oil to my heart." Wow, what a way to explain it, Suzanne! Yes, good, worshipful music does just that for me and I am a lover of music. When Danny built our little Shiloh tree house, he asked me did I want it wired and I replied "Definitely not, I want a little room with a desk and a Bible and a book and a portable cd player" because music warms my heart. Good, peaceful, and worshipful music seems to hasten our spirits right into the throne room of our Father, doesn't it? There is so much good music our there today and I fear we miss it sometimes because we have gotten "stuck" into thinking that there is just one kind, when actually I can prefer one style(nothing wrong with that) but deprive myself if I miss out on the other because, like our" God in the box" mentality, we do that to our music sometimes. I like God-honoring, Christ-exalting music! I look back and see that much of the music that I grew up with,(not ALL of it) but some was man-centered instead of God-centered. The lyrics often focused on my trials rather than HIS triumphs, my experiences rather than HIS exaltation!
I love the old hymns, those written back in the 1700's and 1800's are just filled with deep and rich theology. Oh, that we never lose those rich ones those like the ones Fanny Crosby wrote such as Blessed Assurance, Jesus Is Mine. And some of the new, yes, God still has songwriters today, just bleed with Bible! I love those like that; I think of those written straight from the Psalms which was "Israel's ancient, God-breathed hymnbook which defined the proper spirit and content of worship." - John MacArthur. Job (35:10) and David (Ps.42:8) both exclaimed that God gave them songs in the night. Yes, He still does and there are those lyrics that mean so much to us because God gave them at a particular difficult time in our lives.Paul and Silas (Acts 16) knew about songs in the night, literally. At midnight, with stripes on their backs, they prayed and sang praises unto God. There's a thought, Singer- Who are you singing to and for? If God has blessed you with a voice, sing to HIM, and for HIM and because of HIM when you come before that congregation on Sunday!
Let me close because when it comes to music, I could go on and on but I read in Exodus 15, after the children of Israel has passed over on dry ground and have seen Pharaoh's crowd drowned, that they sing a song which begins like this "I will sing to the LORD for He has triumphed gloriously!" The ending goes like this-"The LORD shall reign forever and ever." Later, in another 15th chapter, all the way to the last book, we see a scene in Heaven and they are singing the song of Moses. "And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are Thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are Thy ways, Thou King of saints. Who shall not fear Thee, O Lord, and glorify Thy name? for Thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before Thee; for Thy judgments are made manifest." I get excited when I think of the soon coming event when we all who have been washed in the blood of the Lamb will stand around the throne and lift up our voices. We have heard some good singing as we have been sojourners on this earth but in comparison, "we ain't seen (or heard) nothing yet." Rev. 5:9-10 ""And they sung a new song, saying, Thou art worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for Thou wast slain, and hast redeemed us to God by Thy blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation.And hast made us unto our God kings and priests and we shall reign on the earth." I have discipled new believers before and taught them how most importantly it is for them to get into the Word of God and prayer. In those two areas, we hear from our Heavenly Father and He hears from us. I, also, always encourage them to listen to good Christian music. God is the Giver of all good gifts and music is His too. Yes, as with everything else, the enemy has taken and perverted it in the kind that glorifies everything but God, the kind that makes people bang their heads against the wall. Some Bible teachers have suggested that satan was in charge of the heavenly praise before he fell. (Ezekiel 28) We don't know but it is a thought, isn't it? Personally, a form of torture to me would be to lock me in a room with some of that loud rock stuff. I don't think I would last too long. Migraines would definitely follow!!
Well, I sure didn't mean to end on a dark note so, Believer, lift up your voice in praise today in song,; songs like this: "Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless His Holy Name!" And I am reminded this morning already from e-mails and phone calls that we need to lift our voices in prayer for many hurting fellow saints, one last night who has been sick for a year and now they suspect Lyme- her name is Ruth, please pray for her. Jeff's family life pastor, Don Shockley, is in kidney failure, please pray for him and Ms. Shirley. Many are experiencing a sad song today so let us lift up our voices in prayer for them today!
Looking Up, Deborah
No comments:
Post a Comment