Disciplined Readers--Chronological One Year Bible: Music to my ears!

Exodus 15

A Song of Deliverance

¹ Then Moses and the people of Israel sang this song to the LORD:

   “I will sing to the LORD,
      for he has triumphed gloriously;
   he has hurled both horse and rider
      into the sea.
² The LORD is my strength and my song;
      he has given me victory.
   This is my God, and I will praise him—
      my father’s God, and I will exalt him!
³ The LORD is a warrior;
      Yahweh^[g] is his name!
⁴ Pharaoh’s chariots and army
      he has hurled into the sea.
   The finest of Pharaoh’s officers
      are drowned in the Red Sea.^[h]
⁵ The deep waters gushed over them;
      they sank to the bottom like a stone.   Exodus 15:1-5

Last night we went to a concert. I listen to a lot of music. You may only listen to music on elevators…or that is music as you define it. Right now my daughter is playing the piano. 2 lessons and she has rhythm and play notes in a melodic order!

Where did music come from?

²⁰ Then Miriam the prophet, Aaron’s sister, took a tambourine and led all the women as they played their tambourines and danced. ²¹ And Miriam sang this song:
   “Sing to the LORD,
      for he has triumphed gloriously;
   he has hurled both horse and rider
      into the sea.” Exodus 15:20-21

We play music at sporting events. How about Super bowl halftime? Funerals, Weddings, we sing Happy Birthday…the list goes on.

I believe music has come from God and his act of creation. It you listen to birds chirping there is a patter and melody. Water running in a brook?. How about the sound of the heartbeat of a baby in the womb? As unborn babies we feel the beat!

A rooster crowing, how about crickets and frogs?

The rock band “Pink Floyd” compiled an album “Animals” which contains sounds made to be like sheep, dogs and pigs and in my opinion is enjoyable music.

Music is of God. Man can pervert it? Of course! Is Metal Music evil? I say no. It is a style of music. Are the images used on the package of the product and the lyrics that accompany the music evil? Yes it can be. But if someone took the lyrics to Amazing Grace and played it in the style and with instruments associated with metal music would that make Amazing Grace evil? Fill in the blank_____________.

So how about the same song with steel guitars and country twang? Does that make it any less Holy? I mean it is metal because we used a steel guitar!

I invite you that are in proximity of Burleson, Texas to attend the concert this Saturday 2/11/12. Any of you other readers feel free to do this in your location. What I am asking you to do is listen to music written and performed by Christ followers no matter what the genre is. Observe the audience. Are they more engaged than on a Sunday morning at a place of worship? Are they less engaged? Is this something that can be considered a mission field? Does it minster to some attendees? Is this where you would like your youth be? Is there somewhere else they could be on a Saturday night that could change the course of their life that they may never recover from?

Can they actually be gathering in the name of Christ to listen to music that God created? Can they attend as a non follower and listen to music and not leave there having been fed the ideals of sex, drugs, violence, unfaithfulness, disrespect to gender or race that secular musicians expose them to in their music?
Music has been a source of tension between children and parents for generations. Am I wrong?
I invest a lot of time and resources in music as a ministry. I would love to hear feedback from as many as possible concerning music, God and us.

I think music is a part of creation and when we worship God with any style it is “Music to God’s ears” although some styles may not be to us.

Here is the headlining band for Saturday. Do these Christ followers bring glory to God? Do you think God likes this song? Do you think His word inspired this song?