September 30, 2013
“I waited patiently for the Lord. He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of destruction, out of the sticky mud. He
stood me on a rock and made my feet steady. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many people will see this and worship him. Then they will trust the Lord.” Psalm 40:1-3
“…and in the night His song shall be with me–a prayer to the God of my life.” Psalm 42:8
When our children were little, we had great moments while riding in our car. Before the digital explosion of technology, entertainment in the car was limited to each child’s bin of toys reserved for the car and cassette tapes of children’s Christian music. Often the volume of the music was turned up so loud, that any backseat disagreements were drowned out. (At the time, I thought the strategy was brilliant!) We would sing along with the lyrics of the music which often contained Bible verses, but always Biblical truths. One of our favorites was a Psalty tape containing the song, “Jesus Put a Song in my Heart”, and the lyrics found their way into our hearts, our minds, our memories… Ah yes, the eighties and early nineties were amazing times…but these times are amazing. I recently viewed the young artist Dessi J. singing this song on YouTube…and memories flooded my mind. But God’s Truth flooded my heart through a song sung by a child with a heart filled with passion….take a look for yourself.
“Jesus put a song in my heart, a joyful melody that sings of His wonderful love…
He gave me a new heart; He gave me a new life, and He put a song in my heart!”
“The Lord is my strength and my song…” Exodus 15:2 (The Song of Moses)
Cognitive scientists have been intrigued by the study of music which is described as one of the most fascinating features of human culture. Researchers disagree as to whether music develops from one’s culture, or whether it is innate within the human existence. However, there is agreement that music has existed and does exist in every culture, apparently developing independently. Generally, there is agreement that at the very least, there is some innate machinery motivating the production and the appreciation of music. Studies conclude that music is universal…There is no doubt that music produces strong emotional responses in those who listen. (Josh McDermott, MIT; Marc Hauser, Harvard)
“I waited patiently for the Lord. He turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of destruction, out of the sticky mud. He stood me on a rock and made my feet steady. He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many people will see this and worship him. Then they will trust the Lord.” Psalm 40:1-3
“…and in the night His song shall be with me–a prayer to the God of my life.” Psalm 42:8
Perhaps, music originates innately within the human heart and mind from a response to something deep within humankind…In a response to what or who fills the spirit…
Our family is completely tone-deficient. In other words, not one of us has ever been asked, or invited, or included in organized musical production. The exceptions were the school fund-raisers which involved all of the children in a class at school, hoping to attract the relatives of the child performers to the event. However, these hard facts have not thwarted our family’s love and appreciation of music…
Our daughter, who confidently prospered through her kindergarten and first grade years at a small Christian school, was not in the least bit aware or concerned that singing was not her gift to the world. One of her favorite songs was “This is day that the Lord has made”, based on the scripture Psalm 118:24. In fact, she sang boldly and loudly as was evidenced one day at a park. Our good friends accompanied us that day and as Christie held on tightly to the handle on the merry-go-round, she belted out the lyrics of her favorite song, while pausing long enough to instruct her six-year old male friend to push her faster on the merry-go-round, then, resumed her song! We moms were very amused and laughed hysterically as the scene continued for quite awhile until her little friend grew exhausted, and Christie finally relented. “This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” And she was rejoicing, and was glad! (I am not sure about her friend)
Today, I enjoy watching and listening to our middle grand-daughter as she chimes into any opportunity to sing. At twenty months old, she has discovered a joy in singing…All it takes is a song-leader, and the sweet little voice breaks into melody… “This little light of mine, I’m going to let it shine…”bringing smiles to anyone within hearing distance…It seems to overflow from deep inside; it brings a smile to Caki’s face as she performs, and it brings a smile to my heart as I listen.
I truly believe that when God breathes into humankind the gift of life, there is a place in the heart, the soul of man, that only God can completely fill; we are made in His image…we are designed to be His children…we have His DNA. When our hearts and our minds and our souls are open to Him, or are in communion with Him, our Lord gives a song and we hear it; our hearts receive it… He fills that place deep within with His knowledge, His wisdom, His love, His compassion, with His presence. It becomes a Life-Song for the Lord and a Life-Song for the edification and the encouragement of others. As we walk with the Living God, we are empowered to live and breathe the song into the details of our daily lives with our families, our friends, and our world, thus, building the Kingdom of God.
I love reading the Psalms or songs written by David. These beautiful lyrics are overflows of a deep and abiding relationship with his Lord and his Savior, the One True God. Centuries of pilgrims have been comforted, encouraged, and inspired by David’s songs…And God has received the glory that is rightly His …through David’s Life-Song…The question remains, what was the source of David’s inspiration for his beautiful music…for his beautiful psalms…Scripture reminds us that all of God’s Word is breathed or inspired by God… (2 Timothy 3:16-17) God inspired and gave David his song…his Life-Song.
While our songs obviously do not find their way into scripture because God’s Word is complete, our messages, our songs, and our lives can be and are inspired by the Creator of the universe, the author of life when we commune with Him. And these messages are Life-giving! Conversely, this world also has a set of messages that quickly find their way into hearts and lives that are void and empty of God’s presence and His promise. According to a report in The Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, kids are receiving about thirty-five references to substance abuse for every hour of music they listen to if they listen to secular popular music, with the average teen-ager listening to nearly two and a half hours per day. Negative messaging is clearly not God-inspired. Contemporary studies suggest that music has a profound effect on the listener and various types of music and lyrics are linked to negative behavior. None of us would deny these findings. And these lyric writers, the performers and the producers are clearly not being inspired by our Loving Wise God if their messages oppose godly principles and truths. Yes, the world speaks its own message into hearts and minds which are vulnerable…having a visible and profound impact on the Life-Song of the listener.
When our daughter was in first grade, she wrote a letter to her principal requesting to have the opportunity to sing a solo in the upcoming school musical. He responded lovingly and appropriately with a resounding “NO”! Years later, she asked me why I allowed her to ask such a thing as she became aware of her tone deficiency. I answered her by explaining that evidently the Lord had put a desire and a song in her heart that she needed to share. I did not want to quench the desire that the Lord had given to her to share a message, her song…If she did not sing it, she could live it! And today, she is a gifted leader and teacher and LIVES the song that her Lord put into her heart.
Yes, I know that the Lord gives us His song to sing with our lives…to share with the world…and the source of this music is the Spirit of the Living God, His Word, and His presence in our lives. And, our Loving Father sings over each one of His children…And our hearts hear His songs of love…
“For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a Mighty Savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With His love, He will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zephaniah 3:17
As our loving Father sings over His daughters and His sons, we sing over our own precious babies…and then our children grow up… so quickly. The days of playing and singing turn into days of planning and change… “This is the day that the Lord has made…” The happiest day of our daughter’s life was her wedding day as she married the young man for whom she had prayed. Very specifically, she had asked God for a man who loved God, his family, and who especially loved and respected his mother and for a man who loved to laugh! God answered her prayer; Barry met all of the criteria…and she loved him. As we planned their wedding and prepared the invitations, she fastened each one with a seal bearing Psalm 118:24, “This is the day the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.” And we rejoiced; we were glad; we celebrated as she became Barry’s bride. God had placed His song in Christie’s heart…
Daughters, my prayer is that each one will listen to the loving song of our Father, and that each one of us will live the Life-Song, The Song of Life that only He gives. He gives it through His Word, His Presence, His Love, and through the Body of Christ, the Church. I pray that we fall at His feet knowing and believing that He hears the cries of His daughters; and then, we can go and share God’s absolute Truth with a world that needs the Hope and the Love of Jesus Christ…a world that is desperate for the…
Song of Life.
“…I will sing with the spirit, and I will also sing with the understanding.” 1 Corinthians 14:15
Sing it, write it, dance it…LIVE it…The Song in Your Heart!
Abundant joy,
