I was listening to some of my favorite songs on my ancient iPod. It made me think about music in general. It’s very interesting which words people put
to music. Some songs have silly carefree
messages while others carry a theme so profound that it seems only music would
do it justice. It’s those messages that
I want to write about in this entry.
I’m not “musical” in any sense of the word. I don’t break out into song very often in
public. Aside from maybe two movies, I
don’t care for musicals. They seem
silly to me to sing about everything.
But when it comes to the theme of love, it’s hard for me to find a
better expression than music. Love is a
hard term to describe, and something that needs its own blog entry. The love I speak of is the one that is most
intense, most exclusive, and demands total allegiance that one, no matter how
musically untalented, is willing to belt out their devotion in song.
I admire those who can sing and play instruments because
they have a way of communicating I do not have.
I think however that in doing so it lends itself to being used in every
aspect of life and relationships.
Someone like me, that can not read music, cannot play an instrument, and
struggles to hear tones is unfortunately banished to the confines alone in my
vehicle while driving or the shower, never to realize all musical expressions.
Save one. I
experienced an event so dramatic, so life-changing, so intense, that I cannot
contain myself only in spoken word: I
was once dead, but now I have eternal life because of the saving work of Jesus
Christ. He took away what I could not
get rid of by my own strength. He gave
me a righteousness that I could not accomplish with any good work of my
own. For that I love Him. And it is not enough to just say it. I have to go before a congregation of people
saved just like me and sing it! Words of
allegiance, words of praise, words of thanksgiving, words of love that only
belong to Him. It is the only time I
feel comfortable enough in myself to offer my song in public. Nothing is better than the redeemed offering
up their song to their Redeemer.
On the other side is the issue of how closely intense love
and intense hate can coincide sometimes.
One of my all time least favorite songs has to be Amazing Grace. Not because of the lyrics or melody or its
history, but because I sense that it is so often sung in such a disconnected
manner. Imagine someone loving another
so much that they compose a song just for him or her. With emotion and intensity it is sung. Now imagine another singing that song not for
the same reasons, but to show off their talents or worse not knowing what they
are singing at all. How awful is it to
hear a love song by someone who doesn’t love at all. I sometimes feel that way about the song I
offer up in church. Disconnected, unfeeling, unknowing, forgetting what it took
for me to even stand and be there. How
quickly worship in song can turn from an act of devotion to an insult. I remain careful when I sing with the church
that my song is connected to my testimony.
I am thankful for the expression we have in music and song
to offer before God. It is a gift for
those who have a message that spoken word cannot clearly describe. It is also an offering I must be careful with
especially when offering it to the One I love.
-Victor
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