I want to live a life surrounded by music.
The first time I remember thinking that was my freshman year at OBU. Starting my day with singing in the classrooms of the music building, 6 hours of choir a week, afternoons spent practicing piano, and evenings spent in a five by five foot with my aria on repeat. 6 years later I find myself yet again surrounded by music. It permeates my ears from the moment I turn off my alarm to coming to technique class and dancing to ballet music or rehearsing worship sets. Rather than an isolated practice room I spend my evening in a crowded room of little ballerinas and “It’s a Small World” on repeat!
Music has always been a significant piece of my life. Something that has woven the different interests and efforts together seamlessly. The Lord has been using music the past few months to teach me about worship and Himself. In six months of being in Jackson, Mississippi as a Trainee at Ballet Magnificat! I’ve had opportunities to sing, perform, and teach. Our voice and our bodies are a vehicle. We are always using them to magnify something, either through our words and actions, or through art forms. Are we magnifying the artist or the work? The painter or the painting?
I believe that true, authentic worship is shaped by scripture, not human feelings. I try to remind myself of this truth no matter if I’m worshiping alone in my car or from a microphone at church. It begins with an authentic picture of the God of the Bible. One of the most repeated commands in scripture is “to praise,” or some versions, “exalt.” When studying the God of the Bible, what can my response be but to praise Him? I love songs that reflect the flow of the Psalms.
True authentic worship is shaped by scripture, not human feelings.
The pattern of the Psalms of David is a shape akin to the structure of music. An introduction of a theme or motif, then a reiteration of that theme. This is followed by a change that signals either a new idea or further playing on the previous theme. The song concludes with a coda or repeat pointing toward the beginning. “Just As Good” by Chris Renzema is a favorite of mine, that I feel mirrors this shape.
An expression of sorrow or emotion
Reminder to myself and my soul of what He’s done and who He is
Praying the scripture back to Him
There are also numerous references of Biblical moments or stories of His faithfulness, like raising the Ebenezer, reaching out His hand in the water, or separating the waters. He uses these moments that aren’t beautiful in themselves, but moments of pain or trials. He leads us through fear and pain and reveals His goodness to us in that
I’ve learned through my own experience with pain that sorrow has a way of swelling the waves of our worship. That my whole being would bless the Lord. Over and over in Scripture we also see the command directed at the soul, “My soul, bless the Lord, and all that is within me, bless his holy name,” Psalm 103:1. In Deuteronomy 6:5 and Matthew 22:37 we are commanded to “Love the Lord with all your heart, all your soul, with all your mind.” Soul in Greek is the word psyche which means “mind, will, and emotion.” Our whole being is meant to love Him and bless Him.
Lord, sing through me today.
My prayer today: Lord sing through me today. I make melody to you with all my soul. Tune my heart to sing of your grace. That the dissonance of suffering and doubt would crescendo to a consonant chord of peace. Where notes collide in infinite harmony. May my voice rise to you, the praise of my lips be sweet incense to your ear. And my heart sings the song of your heart as I draw nearer to you. Resonate your love in my life, like an echo of your truth in an empty vessel. It holds the sound but doesn’t create the sound. It amplifies it out into the ears of the hearers.