pastorjohnb

Thoughts and musings on faith and our mighty God!

Tag Archives: music


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Sing a New Song

Reading: Psalm 149

Verse 1: “Sing to the Lord a new song.”

God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit are the same then, now, and forever. The scriptures have existed in their present format for almost 2,000 years. When we read today, “Sing to the Lord a new song,” is the psalmist still speaking to us today?

Music has always been a part of the worship of God. Even before the Psalms were written and sung, God’s people were expressing their faith through music and song. The Psalms run the gamut of expression – from the laments to heartfelt prayers to the celebration of God’s presence and activity among the people of God. The tradition of proclaiming our faith has continued throughout the history of the church. Music – be they hymns or gospels or contemporary praise songs – it all teaches theology and offers shared experiences of our encounters with God through sung expression. When each of these works were written and shared, they were a “new song” to the Lord.

These new songs run the gamut of the Psalms. Many address what we Methodists call “social justice” and “social holiness.” Music centered on love and peace, hope and justice calls us and society to a better world, to a holier way of living and of treating one another. Some of the voices come from the edges, adding to this rich mix of music, expressing the pain of being ignored or shunned or marginalized, sharing the hope of truly being a part of the family of God. Through these new songs we can become more aware of and engaged with the needs of our day. These new songs are evidence of God’s Spirit at work. They are invitations to be a part of God’s growing kingdom here on earth. As people of God and as people of love, peace, hope, and justice, may we too sing these songs.

Prayer: Lord God, continue to bring to our ears the cries for justice and equality and fairness. Guide this music and these cries to trickle down to our hearts, moving us to be people who invite all into the circle of your family. Lead us to speak out and even to fight when it is needed to welcome others into the family of God. You created us all. You love us all. Amen.


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Well Done…

Reading: Matthew 25: 14-30

Verse 23: “Well done, good and faithful servant!… Come and share your master’s happiness”.

We return today to the Parable of the Talents. Yesterday we focused on the one servant who allowed fear to hold him back. As followers of Jesus Christ we are called to use the talents, gifts, resources… that God has given us to build up the kingdom here on earth. When we willingly and joyfully invest in the lives of others we do not lose those blessings ourselves, but we gain even more. The upside-down kingdom of God that we can experience is illustrated in today’s parable.

When we make the intentional choice to use the talents that the Master has given us, whatever the talent(s), we are usually investing in relationships. If your talent, for example, is working with children or youth, then your time given at Sunday school or VBS or youth group is being invested in their faith and in the relationships with the children or youth and their families. If your gift is musical, your time given in the choir or praise band is being invested in your faith, in the members of the group, and in the worshippers’ relationship with God. If your talent is cooking or baking and you invest time in providing food for the times of fellowship at church or for those in need in the larger community, then your talents are building relationships within the body of Christ or with the larger world. No matter what your talent, it can be used to build relationships and the kingdom.

Two of the servants in today’s parable invested the master’s money using the talents they had to bless their master. It was not for their own reward or profit. Yes, the master did bless them for their service. Our Master will as well. When we choose to live out our faith, using the talents that the Lord has given to each of us, we too will one day hear, “Well done, good and faithful servant!… Come and share your master’s happiness”. May it be so.

Prayer: Lord God, thank you for orienting me towards doing and serving. Thank you for the talents that you have given me to live out my faith in these ways. On those days when I’d rather not, when I want to make the selfish choice, remind me again of your love and investment in me. Call me to do your will, not mine. Thank you, Lord Jesus. Amen.


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Turn to God

Reading: Psalm 63: 6-8

Verse 6: “On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night”.

In his time out in the desert David appears to have some trouble sleeping. Verses 9 and 10 indicate that David is out in the desert because his enemies are pursuing him. Maybe this Psalm is written when King Saul was hunting him down or maybe it is later, perhaps when Absalom was leading a rebellion. Both were times when David fled into the desert or wilderness to find refuge. While none of us have probably fled because someone was trying to kill us, most of us have experienced trouble sleeping because of some trial or hardship or difficulty.

When I have had trouble sleeping, I have tried all sorts of remedies. I have tried, of course, counting sheep. I have read a book or played a game on my phone. I have tried listening to music. I have gone for a walk. In those times when a stressful decision lies ahead or when something else big is on my mind, I can turn to worry or fretting or… Today’s Psalm is a good reminder to me of what my first option should be: prayer. David writes to God, saying, “On my bed I remember you; I think of you through the watches of the night”. David turns his thoughts to God. We do not know if he turned over his worry or if he sought God’s guidance or if he simply admitted his need for God’s help. But we do know that he went to God first in his time of need. It is a good reminder to us to seek God first and not as a last resort.

Because his trust is in God, David can rejoice. In the next two verses we read of how David sings to God and of how he feels upheld by God. When we turn to God we too will experience God as our help. Like David, this leads us to rejoice in the ways that God is and has been present in our lives. In future times of trial and distress we will more quickly turn to God as time after time we learn that God upholds us too. Our soul learns to first turn to and to cling to God in our times of need. God’s faithfulness and love and care build our trust in God.

On those nights when sleep evades us, may we turn to God first. If we cannot name the fear or worry or… to offer up a prayer, we can turn to the Bible to draw near to God. If we can name it, may we give it to God and trust that God will be present and will be our help.

Prayer: Lord, when the storms rage or when the attacks of fear or doubt or worry come, be my refuge. Draw me first to you. Remind me of David and his example that you would be my shelter in the shadows. Thank you God! Amen.


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Foundation

Reading: Psalm 127

Verse 1: “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain”.

Today’s Psalm is about God’s presence in our homes. If one were to observe your home, where would God be present? Does your day begin with or take a break for or end with time in prayer and the study of God’s Word? Is prayer a part of your meal times and elsewhere sprinkled throughout your day? Do the sounds from your musical devices and the pictures coming from your TV bear witness to the presence of God in your life?

It can be easy to sleep a bit later or to just get “too busy” to have quality time with God each day. It can be a challenge to filter what we allow into our minds through the media and social media sources. There is no shortage of music, programming, news, or social media that is filled with negativity, violence, vulgarity, and other non-godly content.

Our Psalm opens with “Unless the Lord builds the house, its builders labor in vain”. Are you working with God in the building of your house? Are you doing your part to include God, to invite God, to make media choices that do not hinder God’s presence? Our decisions, our choices, and our priorities must be aligned with God’s will and ways or we labor in vain.

In verse 2 we see a warning against the work, work, work attitude that some of us hold dear. Toiling to gain more is in vain. It draws us away from time with our faith and time with our families. The last section of the Psalm speaks of children as a reward and as a blessing. Is this how your children feel? Do you spend time with them, show interest in their activities and pursuits, do you walk with them in the difficulties of growing up?

We must build our children up in the Lord as well, establishing a firm foundation for their future. When we do, they will not be put to shame when the enemy Satan contends at the gates of their hearts. May this be true for us as well as we seek to build our lives upon the sure foundation, Jesus Christ.

Dear God, thank you for your presence in my life. May I ever seek you and encourage my family to do the same. You are our sure foundation, our ever present help. May it be so all of our days. Amen.


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The Gift of Music

Have you ever heard a song and continued with the words or the tune long after it stopped playing?  Ever had a song come to mind as you were praying over a concern or trouble?  Music has a way of soothing and also a way of encouraging.

Psalm 124 is believed to be a call and response song often sung as people made their way up to the temple for worship.  The content of the song recalls how God has intervened in the past to save Israel from its enemies.  It was a concrete reminder of how God is always present to protect the people, always there to preserve at lead a remnant.  As Psalm 124 was sung, it also reminded the people of their dependence on God.

We too are often blessed by God’s hand and are often living under His protection.  The words of songs or hymns that we know can remind us of these gifts.  Their words can also encourage and lift us up in times of need.  Music can be powerful.

Psalm 124 prepared the people for worship as they made their way to the temple.  It put them in the right frame of mind.  I imagine at times people would sing or hum the song as they went through the ups and downs of their daily lives.  Music serves to connect us to God as well, reminding us of who God is and of how we are in relationship with God.  May we too find encouragement and strength when needed and may we offer up our praise and thanksgiving as well through the gift of music each day.

Scripture reference: Psalm 124


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Sing His Song!

Sometimes I get a tune or song stuck in my head.  It plays over and over and over.  If someone mentions or, worse yet, hums a bit of some songs, they get stuck.  There is much joy and happiness in music, so ‘stuck’ may be a bad choice of words.

In today’s reading from the Song of Songs the author speaks of their lover coming to visit.  The winter is over and spring is bounding out all around.  New life can be found all over the place and he beckons her to join him in enjoying it.  Visions of new shoots of green poking up through the earth as birds sing songs carried off on a warm breeze fill my mind.  It is a time that makes the heart smile.

The relationships between lovers also parallels our relationship with God.  Each morning God calls out to us, sings to us, at the start of each new day.  Like an expectant child lying in bed awaiting Christmas morning or a fiance about to pop the question, God cannot wait to welcome us to a brand new day.  The actual time or season of the year does not really matter – God is anxious for us to begin a new day with Him.  It is God’s desire that each new day is full of His presence.

2 Corinthians 5:17 reads, “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new is come!”  Each day is a new day as we walk with our Lord.  His mercies are made new every morning as God offers us His love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness each new day.

God calls us to be in song with Him each day as well.  He invites us to sing the songs of love, mercy, grace, and forgiveness each day.  May this song of God become so stuck in our hearts and souls that it springs forth from us each day, all day!

Scripture reference: Songs of Songs 2: 8-13