Here is a fun fact you probably (already) didn’t know about me; I love music. Music speaks to me in ways other things cannot. A song can bring tears to my eyes, make dance moves overtake my body I didn’t know I had, and the ability to express things that I didn’t know how to articulate. If you want to reach me to my core; send me a song, song lyrics or shoot, go ahead and just write me a song.
I grew up in a house where music was as much a member as each of the 5 of us. The radio always on in the car, cassette tapes playing to fall asleep to, and our nightly bedtime routine including singing and praying together as a family. Oh, then there was Saturday morning; aka Rich Mullins day; Every.single.Saturday. Dad would get up and blast it. “Step by step You lead me, and I will follow You all of my days….” This song. Over and over. But it was Dad’s day to control the stereo and we had to do our best Elsa and “let it go”. We grew up singing in church pretty tight 3, sometimes 4 part harmony. I still can’t hear some hymns without hearing all of us singing together. (Yes, hymns. We were the modern day VonTrapps: in matching homemade outfits 😳🙈) Without further adieu, and in honor of #tbt I give you:
Oh and I played the clarinet for 9 years; so there’s that.
I am proud to say that I have passed down (brainwashed) my child into the (somewhat) same love for music. She was busting out “Rumor Has It” at age 2, starting dance parties in the kitchen to “Uptown Funk” whenever we need(ed) a joy boost, and anything Taylor Swift will make her smile. Girl loves her music, but what she sings every day, what she will not forget every morning when she wakes up, she will sing in the sweetest (somewhat off key) voice:
“Good Morning God, this is Your day, I am Your child, show me Your way.”
That’s what it takes for her to set the tempo for her day, of her life song.
The way God speaks to my heart, the way the Spirit challenges me, convicts me, encourages me and leads me into deep worship with God is through music. So that begs the question; What does my “life song” sound like to those who come in contact with? Am I like Miranda Lambert on the CMA’s last night, rebel pink hair, taking all my anger out on my poor guitar? Or am I a Kari Jobe, and when I open my mouth heaven falls out? I want my life song to point people to Jesus. I want my song to be real, filled with joy, lessons I’ve learned and how God has brought me safe thus far. I want to make a beautiful sound with my life that brings honor and glory to His name, not mine.
How many artists, actors and even pastors have we seen rise to fame, make it big and release a “self-titled album” - all about them. They don’t last very long standing on their own two feet. Somehow the harmonies aren’t as tight, the music is out of tune and they forget the words. When we take out the most important element from our life song, and shift our focus to how WE got to the top, how WE overcame obstacles, how WE made it; we might as well not even try and sing it.
One of those cassettes we listened to growing up was Psalty the Singing Songbook. (Judge me). We listened to a.lot. but on one particular they were having a “Singalongathon, Maranatha! Marathon, Hallelujah Jubilee!” Basically they were practicing all their church-y songs to put on this Singalongathon but forgot to pray and make God the center of their event. They hurried through checklists, they rushed to get stage ready and the made sure people were there. They were doing “good things” but they did not stop to invite God to be the center, the main event, and the headliner. So, God “pulled the plug” in the middle of it. Nothing worked; no sound, no lights, and if I remember correctly, the disco ball crashed. (tragedy). He finally got their attention when everything fell apart and they were brought to a place where they couldn’t do it without him, and they remembered to pray.
“Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into His presence with singing! Know that the Lord, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of His pasture. Enter His gates with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! Give thanks to Him; bless His name! For the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 100:1-5
Make a joyful noise. Some of us can sing, and some of us can’t but I tend to think when the Psalmist penned “noise” - he meant that to encompass us all. Make a joyful noise to the LORD, not to myself. Serve the Lord, not myself. He made us and we are His. This life is not about us. It is not meant to be safe and comfortable and easy street. This life is for Him and our song should rise and point to the one who made us, who we belong to and who loves us forever.
Music is such an essential part of me; to my core. I want Jesus to be that essential to me too. I want to never stop pursuing Him; singing with/for him. I want the harmony of my life to be because of how tightly woven we are. I want to sing for Jesus, only Jesus; and that others might hear our song and want to sing along.
