Music was there at the beginning and it will last into eternity. As soon as the whales and birds were created the world heard their songs. At the great wedding of the lamb and His bride, the church, there will be feasting, singing and dancing.
Listening to music is popular across people groups and down through the ages. It enhances our enjoyment of films, changes our emotions and can be a form of therapy, as it was when a young boy called David played his harp for King Saul.
In worship, music helps us focus on the Lord.
The Importance of Music
Music was always very important to my mother, and my son lives with a constant soundtrack in his head, but my father was tone deaf. However that is unusual.
Most people relate to music and enjoy listening to it.
Music is a central part of Christian praise and worship. It is also important within the Jewish religion as we can see from the psalms. Most of them are poems or prayers which were meant to be sung.
Praise the LORD. Sing to the LORD a new song, his praise in the assembly of his faithful people.
Let Israel rejoice in their Maker; let the people of Zion be glad in their King. Let them praise his name with dancing and make music to him with timbrel and harp.
For the LORD takes delight in his people; he crowns the humble with victory. Let his faithful people rejoice in this honour and sing for joy on their beds.
Psalm 149
We will sing praises all our lives and this will continue into eternity. At the great wedding feast of the lamb and his bride, that is between Jesus and his church, there will be feasting, rejoicing, dancing and music, but I’m not sure there will be any speeches or photographs.
The picture is of a wedding in the Middle East and they are never dull.
In the mystery of eternity, we will always be singing and dancing to a new song.
Focus on Him
We all have different tastes and preferences, but it is good to try to appreciate all different types of Christian music. There will a rich, eclectic mix of peoples, denominations and music styles in heaven.
Let's prepare for eternity by listening to a wide variety of Christian music now.
Sometimes I don’t like a song we are singing in church, or I think it is repetitive. I try to focus on Christ, not on the music. I see it as a small sacrifice of praise.
Who is the praise for?
Is it just for me to feel goose bumps or to enjoy the harmonies?
Or are we praising the Almighty God and Father of Mankind?
Music can lead us into the throne room of God, His very presence.
Music can help us focus on Him.
The Westminster Shorter Catechism asks the question:
What is the chief end of man?
Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy him forever.
Yes, worship of the loving God is man’s whole reason for existence.
A W Tozer
Let’s praise Our Lord with hymns, ancient and modern.
Let everything that has breath, praise the Lord.
Let’s even praise him with dancing.
Praise the LORD.
Praise God in his sanctuary.
Praise him in his mighty heavens.
Praise him for his acts of power
Praise him for his surpassing greatness.
Praise him with the sounding of the trumpet,
praise him with the harp and lyre,
praise him with timbrel and dancing,
praise him with the strings and pipe,
praise him with the clash of cymbals,
praise him with resounding cymbals.
Let everything that has breath praise the LORD.
Praise the LORD.
Psalm 150
In worship we don’t just listen, we join in, and our Heavenly Father is not judging how well we sing. He's a father. He just wants to hear our voice, because He loves us.
How do you choose the song for a day about music?
I have settled on a timeless classic.
Halleluyah Chorus, The Messiah, Handel
Handel was a poor German composer living in Dublin, Ireland, when he wrote The Messiah. He was so absorbed by a vision of heaven that he wrote the complete work in 24 days, scarcely eating.
When King George 11 first heard the Halleluyah chorus, as the story goes, he sprang to his feet because he found it so inspiring. However, maybe he just wanted to stretch his legs.