Sing to the Lord

You're in a dimly lit room, surrounded by hundreds of people standing or jumping or yelling. In front of all of you is a stage. Music is exploding from that stage, so loud that you can't think about anything except right here, right now. It doesn't even matter what the lyrics are.
The music takes away all the problems. It simplifies life, it never fails to be there for you, thanks to ipods, concerts, television, and computers. It's always there, offering an escape, a temporary peace, a new start. With a guitar in your hands and a paper in front of you, you can make life anything you want. You can portray yourself as rich, handsome, sweet, sexy, accepting, happy, dying, hopeless, hopeful, invincible, unstoppable, the best. You can determine the meaning of life. You can rant about a bad day or about an ex or anything else, and the music will take it. When your friends ditch you or your parents divorce or your sister commits suicide, you turn up the music. You'll work out your problems tomorrow, when the concert is over or when you're done jamming out.
Music gives you strength. You live and breathe music, it makes you feel like you're worth something. Without music, you'd have no reason to live. You wouldn't give up music for anything in the world. You can't imagine life without it, it's your identity.
Who needs God?

You've got music.

Maybe now you can see why I think music is one of the biggest idols in America. Even if you haven't gone as far as to say "Who needs God?", your actions may have suggested as much. I know mine have, from time to time. Musicians are held on a pedestal. Nobody stops to think, "What's the point of this concert?" or "Who benefits from this music in the long run?" Certain music has the power to keep people locked up in a depression or fill them with anger, regret, and guilt.

Not to say music is evil, cuz it definitely isn't. The bible says to make a joyful noise to the Lord! Music can be used to praise God or cry out to him. It can sometimes reach people with the love and hope of Jesus in a way mere words cannot. All I'm saying is, let's not forget where our focus should be. Music is not the center. Don't make it your identity or source of meaning. Music should not be your counselor, a comforter, or a healer. Our help comes from the Lord. God desires our whole heart. Could you sacrifice everything for him? Could you give up music, or your hearing or voice, if he asked it of you? If music is building a wall between you and God, distance yourself from it. Why love the creation when the creator himself is offering his unconditional love to you?
Music is such a huge influence in our culture. Advertising jingles get stuck in our heads. There are countless songs about standards for the appearance of young women, or how we should think or feel or live. Be careful, don't let the devil have a doorway into your heart because of music. Satan hides himself in things as beautiful and powerful as music in order to deceive us. Guess what? If need be, you CAN live without music, just don't die without a Savior.

Judges 5:3
“Hear this, you kings! Listen, you rulers! I, even I, will sing to the Lord; I will praise the Lord, the God of Israel, in song."

Exodus 20:3
"You shall have no other gods before me."

Exodus 34:14
"Do not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God."

This Fortissimo

In every person there is a heart.

In every heart there is a prayer.

In every prayer there is a song.

This song is unique, like a special language just between you and God.

This song is a cry, a praise, and a request all at once.

This song is perfect, the core of God's beautiful creation.

This song is God's breath, which has been passed down from Adam, from the moment when the Artist of the Galaxies uttered a word of life into human lungs.

This song is heard by its Composer.

This Composer has imagined and arranged every one of these songs, to the shortest and softest.

This Composer is daily serenaded by a symphony of different melodies, each one distinct and familiar to Him.

This Composer is delighted by the sounds of his pride and glory, the echoes of his agape love which he has bestowed upon every soul.

This Composer is glad to hear the majestic swell in the music of souls as more and more songs are added to the sonata, the concerto, the chorus- blending and clashing and forming the absolute wonder that is creation.

This Composer is sad when a decrescendo appears in his score, as songs are stifled and forgotten.

This Composer longs to listen to a building dynamic; he is not satisfied with forte when his orchestra has the potential for fortissimo.

This Fortissimo that the Composer is longing for is peace.

This Fortissimo is peace among nations, a world united under its true King.

This Fortissimo is strength and confidence in grace, in salvation, in life.

This Fortissimo is a million songs that stir a million more.

This Fortissimo is generations of children more in love with the Composer, the Creator, the Savior, than anything else.

This Fortissimo is the Kingdom of the Almighty.

This Fortissimo is us.