The sound of music

Read Colossians 3:16-17

16-17 Let Christ’s teaching live in your hearts,making you rich in the true wisdom. Teach and help one another along the right road with your psalms and hymns and Christian songs,singing God’s praises with joyful hearts. And whatever you may have to do,do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus,thanking God the Father through him. (JBP)

Church gatherings are one of the few places in our culture where people actually sing together on a regular basis. Many outside the church might only sing along to themselves or when they indulge in a bit of karaoke. One more reason we need to be sensitive when inviting people to our churches: what is second nature to us will be strange to them.

But even the people of God face challenges with their music. Our tastes vary widely. This need not be a problem,but we can sadly confuse our own personal tastes with God’s preferences. In fact,God is ‘tone deaf’ in the sense that he accepts and enjoys whatever we sing as long as it arises out of a thankful and humble heart.

It is nonsense to suggest God is turned off by modern choruses just as it is nonsense to suggest he is tired of the old hymns. He just wants us to praise him: his tastes are exceedingly broad.

And perhaps he is not as concerned as we might be about the words we sing. He may well be happy to hear us sing love songs to him as well as hearing us proclaim more ordered biblical truth in song. True,our songs must never be simply about us,but they must never be less than deeply personal even as they focus on God.

How sad it would be if what brings delight to God brings conflict and misunderstanding to us.

Blessings
David Reay

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