Regional Synod of Canada - Reformed Church in America

Pioneer Christian Monthly

Date - Oct/89

Contributor - Dave King

Title - Giving Thanks Through Music

Topic - Quiet Moments

Of all the gifts that God has given us to aid us in the worship of Him, few are as powerful to touch our hearts as is the gift of music. I have recently visited the services of Eastern Rite -Catholic and Roman Catholic churches and reflected how both could have been greatly enriched by paying more attention to the gift of music. While the spoken word engages the mind, the words that are sung engage both mind and heart, and in this weary world of fast-paced technological change and rising pressures from all sides, it is our hearts that are in desperate need of an encounter with the riving Christ. We are living in a spiritually and climate and we must recognize our need for continual refreshment. What better way to be refreshed than by expanding our avenues of praise and worship and by entering into new freedoms of the spirit through music.

In Colossians 3:16 Paul says:"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."

Just as the word of God is to find root in us through the ministries of teaching and correcting, so the ministry of music should help the word to "dwell in us richly". Paul suggests the use of three types of music in our thanksgiving: psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs.

No psalm is "typical", but there are a couple of dominating themes that run through the book of Psalms. The first is the freedom to cry out to God for help in the midst of difficult circumstances and expect Him to respond in faithfulness and mercy. The second is the joy of thanksgiving which overflows in adulations of God's worthiness.- We may be at fault at both ends of the spectrum, neither earnestly seeking (or expecting) God's intervening grace in the middle of our difficulties, nor remembering to give Him thanksgiving when He does demonstrate His grace to us. We need to develop an open relationship with our Lord, one characterized by spontaneous communication of needs and joys and we can do that by singing the psalms, many of which have been put to music that is memorable and worshipful.

There are a great many hymns from many ages and stages of church history. ne best of these draw our thoughts to the nature of God, His character and attributes. Hymns such as "Holy, Holy, Holy", "A Mighty Fortress is Our God" and "Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise" not only speak truth but communicate that truth through the majesty of the music as well. The lyrics to these hymns are consistent with those of the hymns of the early church 'which also glorified God in His holiness. Let the work of Christ dwell in you richly as you remind yourself of who God is through singing the hymns of the faith.

There is much debate as to exactly what Paul meant by the term "spiritual songs", but whether he was indicating songs that flowed as new compositions from the Spirit of God or songs that were sung in a spiritual language it is clear that these are songs which express the deepest convictions and experiences of our hearts. The current evolution of a vast new hymnody of worship songs demonstrates the power of music to draw our hearts from Preoccupation with ourselves to a genuine experience of personally bowing before the throne of God in humb1e adoration and devotion. You may want to experiment with singing to God all that is in your heart towards Him. perhaps as you drive your car or spend time alone with God in prayer. Who knows, maybe someday whole congregations will be singing what started as "your song'!

So let us open our hearts and allow the word of Christ to dwell in us richly through a variety of expressions of his gift of music, always remembering to sing with sincere thanksgiving.

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