Music

Have you ever listened to a song that moved you in one shape or form? I know it sounds strange but I mean whenever I listen to a song I always look at the album cover to find the lyrics. Sometimes the curiosity gets the best of me. Now the song does not have to be any particular genre but think about what songs really are. According to dictionary.com the third definition of a song is "poetical composition, poetry". Isn't a song merely words put to a musical score? I have always contemplated of how songwriters wrote their songs. For example Darlene Zschesch a Worship Leader from Hillsong Church in Australia wrote the famous praise song "Shout to the Lord". It was interesting to note that when she wrote this song according to her book, she had just had a miscarriage and was supposed to go on tour in the U.S. shortly after. Here's another example: Steven Curtis Chapman (Christian songwriter) wrote the song "I will be here" where many people play at their weddings (I actually sang this song at a friend's wedding) only to find out that when he originally wrote it it was out of a difficult time that his wife was experiencing their marriage. She had just found out that her parents after many years of marriage were getting a divorced. In these two particular incidents it was tragedy that inspired these songwriters to write what they wrote. Even though the intent was something totally different than what we know it by, its interesting to see where their heart was at the time. So what song is playing on your car stereo or in your house right now? Does it reflect any indication of where you are emotionally? Are you stressed? worried? sad? happy? anxious? Lets look at another perspective of how music and worship is found in God's Word. I am borrowing the following information from a handbook from my former church "In Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16, Paul instructed believers concerning the importance of music in their Christian lives. He exhorted believers to speak, teach, and admonish one anothe rin psalms, hymns, and spirtual songs." Psalms are defined as "A sacred song, sung to musical accompaniment. The apostle was primarily referring to the Old Testament Psaltery: the very "words of God". Nothing is superior to the quality of this content." Hymns is defined as "a song in praise of divinity. Praise songs that focus on the attributes of God." Finally Spiritual is defined as "A wide varity of songs in which God's acts are songs praised and glorified. These would be similiar to our gospel songs and choruses that express our personal experience with Jesus Christ." So that leads me to my last point. Whether the song is a hymn or a spiritual, God accepts all forms that gives him praise. Just because you don't like singing out a hymnal or off a song you don't recognize, think of why you are singing. Is not God receiving all the glory anyway? Something to think about...