Thank God for Music

When the trumpeters and singers were as one, . . . the glory of the Lord filled the house of God. —2 Chronicles 5:13-14

Music plays a big part in the Bible. From Genesis to Revelation, God enlists musicians to work on His behalf. He uses music to call people to worship and to send them to war, to soothe ragged emotions and to ignite spiritual passion, to celebrate victories and to mourn losses. Music is an all-occasion, all-inclusive art form. There are followers and leaders, simple songs and complex songs, easy instruments and difficult instruments, melodies and harmonies, fast rhythms and slow rhythms, high notes and low notes.

Music is a wonderful metaphor for the church because everyone participates by doing what he or she does best. We all sing or play different notes at different times, but we all perform the same song. The better we know our parts, and the better we follow the conductor, the more beautiful the music.

One of the best uses for music is praise. When Solomon’s temple was completed, the musicians praised and thanked God. As they did, “the glory of the Lord filled the house of God” (2 Chron. 5:14).

We thank God for beautiful music, for it’s like a preview of heaven, where the glory of God will dwell forever and where praise for Him will never cease.
Bless the Lord and sing His praises,

Bless the Lord now, O my soul;
Join the song all heaven raises,
Let the anthem loudly roll! —Peterson

Those who praise God on earth will feel at home in heaven.

How To Draw Near To God

Hebrews 7:19 (NLT) For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God.

How can you draw near to God? The Bible makes it clear that your own body is God’s temple. Your spirit needs and wants closeness to God. You want to know the living God personally, not as an idea or concept, not as a distant monarch.

You can draw near to God through prayer, worship, and Bible meditation. You need not live like a monk, but you probably need more prayer in your life, more quiet time before the Lord.

The habit of worship has become a convenience to be wedged between sports, and other recreations. Instead, make worship your top priority. Bible meditation may include verse memory, songs, and quiet personal reading.

The Bible is the Word of God for you. Use it every day and you will draw nearer to God.

 

Look for God’s Purpose In Your Interruptions

“The Lord . . . makes the plans of the peoples of no effect. The counsel of the Lord stands forever.” —Psalm 33:10-11

If your life is anything like mine, it’s pretty well planned out. I have everything in my calendar that reminds me of appointments, meetings, and other “to-do” items. Inevitably, interruptions change my day dramatically; and while they can be frustrating, they also can be productive.

Some of the great advances in God’s plans have come through “interruptions” to the normal routine. Take Mary, for example. An angel interrupted her life with the announcement that she would have a son named Jesus. Since she was a virgin and engaged to be married, this news was undoubtedly shocking and deeply troubling (Luke 1:26-31). And Saul, the Jewish zealot who persecuted early Christians, was on his way to Damascus to arrest more followers of “the Way” when he was blinded by Jesus Himself (Acts 9:1-9). This life-changing interruption had huge implications for the future of Christianity.

The psalmist reminds us that the Lord can make “the plans of the peoples of no effect” (Ps. 33:10). Yet all too often we respond to the interruptions of our well-ordered lives with attitudes like frustration, irritation, fear, and doubt. God’s surprises in our day are full of opportunities. Let’s welcome them as a new “to-do list” from Him.

Lord, if I’m feeling rushed today,
I need Your eyes to help me see
That when an interruption comes,
It is an opportunity. —Sper

Application: Look for God’s purpose in your next interruption. (Our Daily Bread)