"Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre,
praise him with tambourine and dancing, praise him with the strings and flue,
praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD. Praise the LORD." Psalm 150:3-6 (NIV)
Someone posted this video on Facebook this morning. Watching it, I found myself worshiping my God as I praised and thanked Him for the gift of music; for the joy that comes because of the skills of others.
Music draws us all together as it lifts our spirits, fills our hearts with gladness, and envelopes us with joy through what we hear and see. Watch this short video and you will see what I mean.
The children were what caught my eye in that video. They couldn't stand still, they couldn't contain what the music did in them and they moved. Oh that we could be so expressive as we get older.
"Shout for joy to the LORD, all the earth.
Worship the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful songs."
--Psalms 100:1-2 (NIV)
Musical skill was not one of the things that Larry and I had in common when we began dating. He was getting his Masters degree from UNC in music education. He not only played the trombone extremely well, but he could play every instrument there was. He also loved singing harmony with other guys and had a beautiful bass voice. And then there was me....who in 6th grade had been asked to just mouth the words in the choir for a concert, [I later had a music teacher who told me I really could sing if I just thought a little higher so I didn't go flat.]. I did play the piano for church, but as Larry often said "She plays by blunt note...not pretty but sufficient."
But music has always been a huge part of who I am....
Maybe it goes back to all the Saturday afternoons growing up when the house was cleaned, the baking done, and Mom turned on the radio to the "Metropolitan Opera." Every single Saturday afternoon we listened while we quietly read or worked. There was no TV on those afternoons it was just opera.
Maybe it was the hours Mary Jane, my BFF, and I cleaned the church each week. We would clean as fast as we could and then sit at the piano. I would play hymns and we would sing every verse of every hymn as loudly as we could. Oh the joy of those times. We thought we sounded great.
Or maybe it was even all those senior recitals and concerts I went to in college that year I was dating Larry, and then all the junior high and high school concerts I went to with Larry when he taught music.
All I know is music puts me closer to my Creator...
-music gives me a desire to talk to Him....
-music teaches me about Him.
Today, I do thank Him for His amazing gift of music...
"Sing for joy to God our strength; should aloud to the God of Jacob!
Begin the music, strike the tambourine, play the melodious harp and lyre.
Sound the ram's horn at the NEW Moon, and when the moon is full, on the day of our Feast;
this is a decree for Israel, and ordinance of the God of Jacob."
Psalm 81:1-4
"And I saw what looked like a sea of glass mixed with fire and, standing beside the sea, those who had been victorious over the beast and his image and over the number of his name.
They held harps given them by God
and sang the song of Moses the servant of God and the song of the Lamb:
'Great and marvelous are your deeds, Lord God Almighty.
Just and true are your ways, King of the ages.'"
Revelation 15:2-3 (NIV)
"David and all the Israelites were celebrating with all their might before God, with songs and with harps, lyres, tambourines, cymbals and trumpets." I Chronicles 13:8 (NIV)
Thank you Jesus for...
640... music to praise You...
641... music to lift up hurting hearts...
642... music to calm....
643... music to share in joy and laughter...
644...music for sadness...
645... moisture....
646... testimony of a prayer warrior to challenge...me.
647...tea....blessed tea to comfort and sooth...
648...books to help me understand the plans You have for others..
649...air to breathe...
650....water to drink,,,
651....food to eat...and enjoy...
652...sunshine on ice over waterfall...
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Hello, Darnly! Just stopping in to say thanks for leaving your sweet comment on my blog. I also love music, especially worship music. As you said, music just draws me closer to my Creator, especially in times when words alone just can't describe my heart, thoughts, and emotions. Thanks for sharing from your heart!
ReplyDeleteIn His love, Ann