Corona Devo 1174

(1)  Praise the Lord!  Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens. 

(2) Praise him for his acts of power; praise him for his surpassing greatness. 

(3) Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet, praise him with the harp and lyre, (4) praise him with timbrel and dancing, praise him with the strings and pipe, (5) praise him with the clash of cymbals, praise him with resounding cymbals.  ~Psalm 150:1-5  

~~~

...singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts.  ~Ephesians 5:19

~~~

The idea and practice of it is age-old.  Timeless.  It survives the test of time.  It crosses language barriers.  It unites people.  It calms people.  It connects people.  It is heard but also felt.  It is a gift and a talent to make, and it is restorative/special/a blessing to receive.  

It is mood-altering and heart-filling.  It is audible, but it is also palpable.  It's felt inside of us and it's hard to explain its effect with words because it strums our souls.

What is it?  

Music.

The practice of vocal and instrumental music has been around as long as people have.  Coincidence?

It is very hard to define the connection and influence music can have over us, or the "need" for it, but time has proven that music is a calling and outpouring of who we are.  

Music is incorporated into most special, formal, important ceremonies whether religious or secular.  

Why?

Because music moves us, and it touches us in a sentimental place, allowing us to know that it must be of-God, and created (as all things are) by Him.  (For in him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things have been created through him and for him.  ~Colossians 1:16).

~~~

With end-of-year school activities occurring, orchestra concerts and vocal performances are dotting our kids-calendars weekly, and I have to admit, I love it.  

Music makes our hearts smile and our souls sing.  Being surrounded-by-the harmonies and enveloped-in-the-octaves causes something special and a bit unexplainable (Are there words for how certain pieces touch us?) to happen within us.  I think that's why God created music: to touch us, and for us to (as with all gifts He has given us): to glorify Him.

We do it today, and the Bible reminds us that they did it long ago too.

For the dedication of the new wall of Jerusalem, the Levites throughout the land were asked to come to Jerusalem to assist in the ceremonies. They were to take part in the joyous occasion with their songs of thanksgiving and with the music of cymbals, harps, and lyres. (28) The singers were brought together from the region around Jerusalem... 

(31) I led the leaders of Judah to the top of the wall and organized two large choirs to give thanks...  

(35) Then came some priests who played trumpets...

(36) And Zechariah’s colleagues... They used the musical instruments prescribed by David, the man of God... 

(38) The second choir giving thanks went northward around the other way to meet them...

(40) The two choirs that were giving thanks then proceeded to the Temple of God, where they took their places. So did I, together with the group of leaders who were with me. (41) We went together with the trumpet-playing priests... (42) and the singers...  They played and sang loudly under the direction of Jezrahiah the choir director.  

(43) Many sacrifices were offered on that joyous day, for God had given the people cause for great joy. The women and children also participated in the celebration, and the joy of the people of Jerusalem could be heard far away.  

(46) The custom of having choir directors to lead the choirs in hymns of praise and thanksgiving to God began long ago in the days of David and Asaph. (47) So now, in the days of Zerubbabel and of Nehemiah, all Israel brought a daily supply of food for the singers, the gatekeepers, and the Levites.  ~Nehemiah 12:27-28, 31, 35-47    

Music is nothing new, but it is something special.  God knew that when He created it.  

I don't have a musical bone in my body, but my soul vibes when my kids perform, when a church choir belts, or when a barbershop quartet croons.  

And although I can't read music, I can feel the music when our high school orchestra plays melodies that seem angelic to my spirit.  It sweeps me up and takes me somewhere I can't describe.

God knew what He was doing when He made music.

There are many crass/ugly/raucous sounds vying for our audio-attention today.  Instead, step aside or buy-a-ticket to tune into something vocal or instrumental, and listen for what God says to your spirit.  

It is mood-altering and heart-filling.  It is audible, but it is also palpable.  It's felt inside of us and it's hard to explain its effect with words because it touches our souls.

What is it?  

Music.

The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the LORD. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the LORD and sang: “He is good; his love endures forever.”  ~II Chronicles 5:13

Blessings,

sarah

https://sarahsundy04.blogspot.com