Wednesday, March 18, 2009

God, Cocaine, and Music

"Speak to one another with psalms, hymns and spiritual songs. Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Ephesians 5:19-20).

Sometimes I wonder, why does God want Christians to sing to him?

Today, I received a little insight into the answer from an unlikely source. While listening to the local classic rock radio station, I heard a man singing the praises of cocaine. Then it dawned on me: People sing about what they love. Drug addicts sing the praises of cocaine. Christians sing the praises of their Lord. God gave his people permission to express in music what is in their hearts.

2 comments:

Christy said...

I think of it more as a commandment. After all, He said that we don't praise Him then the rocks and the stones will! Of course, SINGING His praises comes naturally to me, but for some I think it takes more effort. I guess that's why He also said in His word to use the harp, lyre, flute and cymbols to praise Him with. Not everyone likes to sing. ;0)

Terry Laudett said...

Thanks, Christy. I was thinking that the first songs of worship to God in the Bible were spontaneous expressions of praise after the exodus from Egypt. Later, the commandment came. If that's the case, I was thinking that the commandment gave the people permission to do what comes naturally from grateful hearts. But I could be wrong. I don't think I have read anything to back up my theory, and I was going on my memory of the history of praise music (so it could certainly be faulty). Either way, you are correct in saying that it is a commandment.