Monday, August 8, 2011

Soul Music

Got a favorite song? Can you pick just one? I have a few, in a few different genres. My favorite type of music are instrumentals - preferably piano or guitar. My favorite pianist currently is Sam Rotman. He is such a talented and dedicated performer - and his testimony is even more powerful than his music (and both are extremely powerful!).


In the car we mostly listen to Kid's Worship and Praise Music or Toddler Tunes. I have little kids and life is just easier that way.


When the kids are in the car and I need to listen to something other than "their music", I turn on Christian Radio. I love Laura Story, Casting Crowns, Chris Tomlin, Keith and Kristyn Getty, Sovereign Grace, Natalie Grant, Steven Curtis Chapman and many more.


Since it is such a rarity, I love the time when I am alone in the car, (if the weather cooperates) with the windows down, hair blowing in the breeze, sunglasses on, Diet Coke in my hand, and jamming to music that brings that happy feeling to my heart. The feeling of being younger. The beat of the drum that just speaks to my soul. Unfortunately, it isn't always God-honoring music. Some of my favs are Sister Golden Hair (America), Deeper than the Holler (Randy Travis), Dust in the Wind (Kansas), Dream On (Aerosmith), and pretty much anything by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, the Beatles or Simon and Garfunkel.



I am sure you have a list of music that just reverberates with your soul. God made us this way. He gave us ears to hear and a love for music.

Music calms our hearts when we are feeling stressed out. In 1 Samuel 16, Saul has a distressing spirit. His servants advise him to have someone play music to soothe his soul. He does this and it works (for a while at least). 

Verse 16
Let our master now command your servants, who are before you, to seek out a man who is a skillful player on the harp. And it shall be that he will play it with his hand when the distressing spirit from God is upon you, and you shall be well.”



Verse 23
And so it was, whenever the spirit from God was upon Saul, that David would take a harp and play it with his hand. Then Saul would become refreshed and well, and the distressing spirit would depart from him.


We love to play music and dance (well, some of us like to dance) when we are happy and full of joy. Just thing of your wedding day - all the focus on that first dance to that special song as man and wife. Think of David dancing when the Arc of the Covenant is returned to Jerusalem.

Then David danced before the LORD with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the LORD with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet. 2 Samuel 6:14-15


God gave us the gift of music to praise Him. He knew that music would speak to our souls, and this deepens our love for our Father in heaven. Oh, how I love to sing worship songs on Sunday morning at church! What a blessing to sing praises to our God in the midst of fellow Believers!

Let them praise His name with the dance;
Let them sing praises to Him with the timbrel and harp.
Psalm 149:3

Back to me in the car, windows down, diet coke in hand and music blaring on the radio. If God gave us the gift of music to praise Him and soothe our souls, then shouldn't all the music that we love be God honoring?

It is hard to change this once we have formed memories. When you hear certain songs, floods of memories just pour into your mind.

But what we can do is motivate our children  form these musical memories with music that praises God, and not man. Music that speaks of the unconditional love of God. Music that reminds us that we are sinners in need of a Savior. Don't get me wrong. We don't always need to listen to "church music". There are many songs that honor God that are wonderful! Here are a few:

Our God - Chris Tomlin

Oh the Deep, Deep Love of Jesus, 2010 High Seas

Every Move I Make, Cedarmont Kids

Lead Me, Sanctus Real

Glorious Day, Casting Crowns

Salvation is Here, Lincoln Brewster

Whatever genre you and your children like, I am sure there are songs and artists that honor God. Let us be diligent and seek first His kingdom, and that includes music that might be played if were in the Kingdom now.


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Growing Home




2 comments:

  1. Just wondering if you have a button I could post on my blog...you were this week's Ad Space winner! If not, I could make one for you if you'd like...no charge. :-) Let me know....

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  2. I, too, love music. It touches me in a way nothing else can...and when it is God honoring music, the deeper the touch of God in my heart. Music is so powerful and because it touches us in the deepest places of our being, listening to God honoring music, like you beautifully pointed out, IS the best choice. :)
    Loved this post...thank you-
    ~Stacy

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