“But now bring me a harpist." While the harpist was playing, the hand of the LORD came upon Elisha.”
Elisha’s soul was also ministered unto through music. The spiritual relationship was with God. Only God can fill the heart with Himself and His Spirit. There is a close connection with moving of our emotions and moving of our souls toward God. Our emotions too often can be moved, and we can praise the musician. When our souls are moved, we praise our Lord. Our emotions can be touched, and we enjoy the beauty, entertainment, and enjoyment of the experience. When it touches the soul, we come into the presence of God in a renewed and wonderful way. We are reminded of His character and His goodness. We want to pray or communicate that message from God to others. We sometime say music is inspiring.
The Lord has used secular music to speak to my heart and to make that a personal spiritual experience too. One friend wondered if a certain musician was a Christian since his music caused him to think about God. There was a secular contemporary number that God used to speak to me about my lack of proper devotion to Him and about the priorities of my life. The Holy Spirit can use music in ways I'm sure the musician never intended. When we are ready to listen, the Spirit speaks in ways that maybe no one else will hear.
In an article in Christianity Today one author wrote, “The Lord gave me a song and the copyright laws have taken it away.” Mr. Bigalow wrote asking permission to use songs for worship by various publishers and artists and discovered that most charged from $10 to $200 for one time use in congregational worship on overheads or in a printed bulletin. This raises an important legal and ethical question. At what point is God using gifts and talents to be given to Him and how to we properly compensate Christian musicians, especially if this is part of their livelihoods?
Our church pays an annual fee to CCLI that handles the copyright legal question allowing us to use some projection of songs in worship. We report the songs we use. The company makes sure that publishers and writers are getting some money for the privilege of using them. We want to be ethical and if the law restricts the public use of some songs, then I guess the Lord has something else we should sing or play. Just because someone is a Christian doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be generous with our blessing in financial ways as well.
Sacred music is the greatest of all music for it praises God and gives expression of hope and joy and faith. It is not glorifying to God to take entertainers who use gospel songs solely looking for fame and riches. I am troubled with using church for pure entertainment and personal popularity. I would much rather worship with someone who loves the Lord and be a little off key, than to hear an excellently sung or played song for the wrong motives.
Are you conscious of God’s presence in worship or in music? Maybe it isn't the fault of musicians or the numbers that are used, but your own heart and thoughts? Only God knows your hearts. More than once I am convicted of my inattention to music, or words and find my mind distracted by no fault of the musicians. I need to pray and prepare my heart to be better focused. We would get more out of worship and delight our souls if we deal first with sin, or rebellion, or poor attitude, or the spiritual struggles.
Application: What can you do to focus on the Lord and His message for you and all of us?
Prayer: Lord, as I listen to Your Word through music today, keep my eyes fixed on You with a heart of thanksgiving.
