Tag: Music

The Lord allowed me to purchase my own piano in April 2010. Before I moved it into our house, I noticed that it needed tuning, but tuning a piano is expensive! Months passed with me playing it, cringing, and thinking, “I really need to get this tuned!” And of course, I still did not make a move towards tuning it. I knew the main benefit of tuning my piano: it would be so much more pleasant to play and teach on, but I also weighed the personal loss: I was not willing to spare that money needed to tune it.

As I was thinking about my neglect in hiring a piano tuner, the Lord helped me to link the piano to my spiritual walk with Him. How often do I know that I need to “tune up” my life, but when I realize the sacrifice and time it takes, I neglect it? I know that my life would flow in a smooth stream of harmony and music instead of the current of dissonance and clangs, but because I am not willing to make the sacrifice, my life continues in dissonance.

Just like my piano, my heart will not resonate with lovely music until I decide to make the sacrifice needed to bring it back in tune.

~*~*~

Psalm 51:10

Capable musicians are a growing need for churches. Many churches do without musicians because no one in their congregation is musically inclined. Other churches hire out their musicians. Most churches require an instrumentalist to be accomplished, but they neglect to inquire if the musician is a born-again believer. Does this matter?

The Bible speaks of those who were allowed to participate in the music of the temple. The clearest accounts we see are in 1 and 2 Chronicles.

by lifting up the voice with joy. (1 Chronicles 15:16)

The musicians were not just any accomplished musicians. They were chosen from the Levites – the tribe that God had set apart for the purpose of leading Israel in worship (Numbers 1:47-50). We see that though they were skillful in their music (1 Chronicles 15:22), their goal was strictly to praise and thank the Lord.

It came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers were as one, to make one sound  to be heard in praising and thanking the LORD; and when they lifted up their voice with the trumpets and cymbals and instruments of musick, and praised the LORD, saying, For he is good; for his mercy endureth for ever: that then the house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the LORD;” 2 Chronicles 5:13).

They were not playing for money’s sake, to show off their skill, or even just to fill a need. They were personally praising God with their music.

According to Psalm 86, the reason one can praise God is because of salvation.

delivered my soul from the lowest hell. (Psalm 86:12-13)

Just because a person is qualified musically to fill the place of church musician does not mean that they should. Scripture seems to indicate that a church musician should be a believer of the Lord Jesus Christ; a person who has experienced His saving grace. If he is not saved, how could he fill this place that God has specifically chosen as another form to worship Him?

The church musician plays a very important role in the church. It should be filled by someone who can worship the Lord “in spirit and in truth.” (John 4:24)

all ye the seed of Israel.” (Psalm 22:22-23)