It might seem controversial to you, but in my normal
day-to-day life, I don’t listen to very much music, at least not for pleasure.
Many people listen to music in the car, but I am an aficionado of a good
podcast, particularly ones about rugby. Many others would have music on in the
background whilst doing other things, but I tend to be distracted by the music
rather than finding it helpful. Also, I’ve heard more renditions of the
Beverley Hills Cop theme tune (known as the Crazy Frog song to the younger readers)
than anyone should do in their life, so perhaps I am usually just a bit
musicked out.
Easter however,
brought with it an opportunity to do something I had been putting off for a
long time: the garden. The patchy lawn that I try my best to ignore was calling
out for me to start again, turn the soil over, rake out the old grass, and
re-seed, to give our family somewhere nice to spend our time over the summer
months. With a cancelled family holiday, I now had the time, and no excuses.
To say I don’t enjoy gardening is an understatement, so I
needed something to help pass the time. That’s where music stepped in. The
music app on my phone generates playlists for me based on songs it thinks I
would like, and I thought I would give it a go. It was a bit hit and miss at
first. Many of the suggestions were based on songs I had played at school, or
to my 16-month-old boy, and didn’t quite work for me, but some of the songs I
had never heard before (like the one in the picture), brought a joy and energy
to me that I hadn’t felt for a long time, and that led me to worship God, who
created music.
James tells us that ‘Every good and perfect gift is from
above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change
like shifting shadows.’ (James 1:17 NIV). Whilst some music does not glorify
God in its lyrical content, I believe that all good music glorifies God and is
a way of leading us to worship God who is infinitely creative. And of course,
it doesn’t start or stop with music, we can find ways to worship God by giving
him the glory for anything we enjoy, whether that’s in films, sports, art,
poetry, trigonometry, Shakespeare, nature, the list is endless.
Challenge
What things do you love to do? Now that many of us have more
time to spend at home and on our hobbies, what things make you come alive? My
challenge for you is to spend time enjoying these things over the coming days
and through that give glory to the God who created them.
Prayer
Father God, thank you that you are the ultimate creator.
Thank you that you created each of us with unique passions and talents. Teach
us to give you glory for those things that you have created for us to enjoy,
and use our talents to further your Kingdom.
Amen
Written by Neal Osgood
Teacher of Music
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