{"id":6509,"date":"2024-11-13T23:55:00","date_gmt":"2024-11-13T23:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/livingtheadventure.net\/?p=6509"},"modified":"2024-12-17T23:57:05","modified_gmt":"2024-12-17T23:57:05","slug":"thankful-for-music","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/livingtheadventure.net\/?p=6509","title":{"rendered":"Thankful For Music"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Rich Mullins, a contemporary Christian recording artist, wrote a Christmas song whose lyrics are, \u201cYou gotta get up; you gotta get up; you gotta get up\u2026it\u2019s Christmas morning<\/em>.\u201d Over the years this song has become a mantra in my mind on difficult mornings. The song springs into my head as I try to encourage myself to get up and instead of \u201cChristmas morning\u201d, I sing the reason I need to get out of bed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Music has always been part of my life. Whether it was my dad\u2019s singing or whistling around the house or my attending a concert or cantata where he was singing, I was deeply influenced with music. Much of my early theology came from the Sunday School lessons, the songs we sang in Vacation Bible School, and the hymns and choruses that made up our Sunday worship experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Over the years, I have learned more songs, and it has amazed me how often those songs play a key role in my life at just the right time. There will be a struggle I am having, and the Holy Spirit will bring back to mind a song I heard weeks, years, or even decades previously. Sometimes the words are Scripture put to music, while other times they are lyrics of a person\u2019s struggle, loss, or celebration. The lyrics remind me of God\u2019s faithfulness, the beautiful attributes of God, and God\u2019s invitation to me for discipleship, perseverance, and love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In this season of Thanksgiving, I am thankful for music that teaches me, encourages me, and invites me into community. In Ephesians 5:18-21 we read, \u201cDo not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to one another, singing and making melody to the Lord in your hearts, giving thanks to God the Father at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, being subject to one another out of reverence for Christ.<\/em>\u201d Our music ushers us into the presence of God, while joining our voices with one another in the assembly to share our proclamation and thanksgiving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Also, in Psalm 40:3 we read, \u201cHe put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord<\/em>.\u201d Even when we do not already know a song, there are times God teaches us new songs that bring praise to God and remind us of God\u2019s faithfulness. These songs are rarely published or even sung outside of our personal moments with God, yet they come from our hearts and proclaim the truth of the moment when God met us in our difficult place.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How has music played a special role in your discipleship adventure? How does God use music in your life to encourage and challenge you in your daily walk with Him? As we continue in our month of Thanksgiving, I give God thanks for music and for the people who God has gifted to write lyrics, put them to tune, and share them with us.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Prayer: Lord, thank you for music and its importance in my life. Though I may not always sing in-tune, you enjoy the praises of your people. Continue to draw me closer through psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. In Jesus\u2019 name. Amen.<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rich Mullins, a contemporary Christian recording artist, wrote a Christmas song whose lyrics are, \u201cYou gotta get up; you gotta get up; you gotta get up\u2026it\u2019s Christmas morning.\u201d Over the years this song has become a mantra in my mind<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":6376,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[5],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6509","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-blog"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t