The Joy Of Music

One of the greatest gifts that our Father has bestowed upon us is that of music. Good music will always flesh out a story for us and after all isn't that what our lives are. Stories. Each person represents a story played out before others and before our God. The joy, the tragedy, and the humor all of these things makeup the stories of our life. The most important part though of any story will be that of Redemption.

Usually once a year I take some time out to listen to Handel's Messiah. My emotions are swept up as I hear the words of scripture put to music. I hear the prophecies, the birth, the death, the resurrection and so many other events of the life of Christ. I am drained when I listen to it all and am reminded of this wonderful savior.

It doesn't stop there though. My heart grows closer to the Lord as I listen to the words of Rich Mullins, Keith Green and Steve Camp and I have to ask myself am I as close to Jesus as I need to be. The harmonies of music that still haunt me as I listen to the Cathedral Quartet, Selah, Phillips Craig and Dean, Mercy Me or the old gospel groups The Soul Stirrers and The Blind Boys of Alabama. I love voices that sound as though they have seen it all and came out better for it like Ashley Cleveland, Glenn Kaiser and Mac Powell from the Christian Rock Group Third Day.

Closing my eyes I love to hear harmonies flow without instruments like the groups of Acappella, many of Glad's recordings, the Issac's or even Take 6. I enjoy the pleasure of how music can bring such joy with groups like the Newsboys, Kutless, Thousand Foot Krutch, and Need to Breathe. The ones that very few people know but are more then worth the hearing like Joy Whitlock, Three Crosses, or Mark Heard. So many hues and colors in telling the story of all stories.

Now as I have grown older there are some of the non-Christian music artist that I love. There truly was a day when I believed that if it did not talk about Jesus it was worthless. Yet, the scriptures also talk to us about the issues of marriage, loneliness, money, friendships gained, and friendships lost. I am reminded though of how sometimes the unsaved world gets it. Though I would not agree with several of George Jones songs I am still reminded of the truth that he shares when he sings about, "how we are living and dying by the choices we make."

The group U2 and the album the Joshua Tree still has some of the most haunting lyrics of all time. We as believers and followers of the Lamb should take a listen. The soul of a man as Joe Coker or Ray Charles sings of loss and joy. The lonesome cries of a 29 year old boy from Alabama who seemed to never see the light that he sang about. Sometimes we need to hear their cries and their pleasure in this life that God has given to all men.

Though I love many of these groups and enjoy them. My greatest joy is to hear the songs about the one who loves me most. I want to sing forth His praises, He is my bridge over troubled waters, my shelter in a time of storm and because of this I will daily sing of My Redeemer.