Sunday, January 26, 2014

For the Love of Music


Today I looked down at the CDs in my car:

1. Ultimate Dance Party 1997
2. Johnny Cash
3. Old Two Rivers Baptist Church Sunday morning mix
4. DMB Live in Chicago and at Luther College
5. Harry Connick, Jr, Songs I Heard
6. Dan Oxley

My current play list, lol. Of course there are more choices on my iPhone (because seriously, what can smart phones NOT do besides be human? It's pretty scary...yet helpful) and I'm as apt to be singing with latest pop song on the radio (words that I make up in my head most the time ;) as I am to be belting out hymns at the top of my lungs a capella. Yes, I am the one dancing in my car - go ahead and laugh at me - I laugh at me too!

You'd be hard pressed to find someone to disagree with the fact that music is inspiring, but don't just take my word for it:

Johann Sebastian Bach noted that “the final aim and reason of all music is nothing other than the glorification of God and the refreshment of the spirit.”

Martin Luther said, “my heart, which is so full to overflowing, has often been solaced and refreshed by music when sick and weary.”

Johnny Depp agreed with Hans Christian Anderson's "where words fail, music speaks," by admitting that "music touches us emotionally, where words alone can't."

It's internationally inspiring. I cannot tell you how moved I have been worshiping our amazing LORD with believers in other nations, or even merely having dance parties with songs and people from all cultures. Longfellow was right - "music is the universal language of mankind!"

Be it melancholy or sprightly, "music...will  help dissolve your perplexities and purify your character and sensibilities, and in time of care and sorrow, will keep a fountain of joy alive in you." This from Dietrich Bonhoeffer!

Oh how I could go on and on! Some days sad songs are wonderful to identify with, or songs of truth to combat discouragement. Today music has done a good job of inspiring me to praise the name of the LORD, to give glory where glory is due - Hebrews 13:15 and all of Psalm 96! Thanking God for the gift of music today. :)

Sing to the LORD, bless His name; tell of His salvation from day to day!  Worship the LORD in the splendor of holiness, tremble before Him, all the earth!" 

So when you get in your car, go ahead and sing and dance it out like nobody's watching. Maybe somebody is and they just need a laugh. ;)

2 comments:

Nanette R. said...

Great post and good encouragement that music is good for whatever mood we're in!

Anonymous said...

Just got to LOVE number 6!