Our Sounds: A Survey – A Surrender

A softly noted and familiar song plays in the background as she watches her elderly grandfather sleep.  Such peace. She stills her heart as the notes echo within her soul…she kisses her dear Grandad and a silent prayer of thanksgiving rises in the dark of night.  This song that has danced its way into so many memories of her youth is linked forever with memories of life at her grandparents’ home.  She smiles sadly at the melody that will now forever be entwined with these precious final days.

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Another day, another soul rises with the dawn.  Already his head is full of anxious thoughts, so many needs, so many responsibilities.  He feels burdened and restless.  As he walks into the kitchen to grab a quick breakfast, he hears the fun and upbeat sound of the radio playing while his family is readying for the day.  Instantly, his mood changes.  His foot begins tapping to the beat while he butters his toast.  He can’t help but get caught up in the beauty of the day and joy of his family, worries forgotten for at least that moment.  

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After an intensely stressful day of work, he enters his car and slams his door.  His thoughts are a hectic jumble.  Misunderstandings, failed attempts at success, ruined plans.  He starts his car and takes a deep breath to pray, knowing he can find solace with a few minutes alone with his Creator.  However, as soon as his car starts, so does a familiar song. It reverberates in the small space.  He turns up the volume and revels in the caustic sounds that perfectly suit his dark mood.   Familiar words blast through his thoughts and help drown out the worries of the day.  He pumps his hands on the steering wheel in tune with the music, but no calm is found.  Without realizing it, his quest for numbing the pain only escalated the discontent within him and any chance of seeking God’s peace through prayer is forgotten.

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 She sits in the coffee shop staring at the grocery list in front of her. She is trying to catch a moment of rest between her many errands for the day. Playing the roles of wife and mom brings such joy despite the demands and responsibilities.  This is the life God spelled out for her – the life she was created to live.  She smiles to herself upon reading a text from her husband:  a simple “Love you” on the screen.  

Yet, in the middle of planning her afternoon, a familiar song streams through her earbuds. All of a sudden, she is swept away to another time, another place.  She no longer sits at a table with her grocery list, but is driving down some old back road, wild and free, staring into the face of an old flame.  Immediately her mind recalls memories she hasn’t thought about in years…a relationship with another she once loved and lost.  The sound drummed on in her ears, and she justified the harm in remaining lost but for a bit longer.  She allowed herself to begin the “what-ifs”, the “whys”, and the regrets.  

As the song ended, she reluctantly gathered her things.  Ten minutes ago, she felt thankful for the life God has given her…but now she leaves dissatisfied, restless, and doubting.  In one song, her day shifted and her thoughts turned to a time that was never meant to be hers.  With one song, the flesh entered in and the glory of God slipped out of focus.     

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Music is a powerful thing.  Numerous studies have shown the effect that music has on human behavior.  Music affects our emotions…it can cause us to feel certain ways.  Songs connect strongly to past memories.  It only takes a few notes to take our brain back to a time and place that no longer exists.  This is the very reason music is used in movies, in advertising, in all different venues of entertainment.  This is not always a bad thing; it depends on the feelings the music evokes.

So what does this have to do with our walk with God?  Full surrender to the Lord means a full inventory of all aspects of our lives.  This includes the music that we allow in.  When we fall in love with a song, we tend to listen to it over and over again.  We hum its tune as we work or play.  We sing the lyrics absentmindedly as we move about our routine.  Music can have major influence in our lives and as believers of Jesus Christ, we are accountable for what we allow into our hearts and minds.

This challenge isn’t to create legalism or to ban any one thing.  This challenge is to bring every thought, action, and deed captive to the awe-inspiring person of Jesus Christ.  If anything we do promotes self or our flesh…we need to recognize that and remove it from our life.

When considering if our “playlists” glorify God, we must bring it to the test of Philippians 4:8.  Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.

This is truth.  This is God’s Word.

Music is the only universal language.  It transcends culture barriers, age gaps, and international boundaries.  As followers of the Most High God, how do we want to speak to the world around us?  We represent the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords.  If music embeds itself in the deepest recesses of our being, what lyrics do we want to form us?  This is the commandment from God Himself in Colossians 3:2-5. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry

Anything that pulls our focus from God and places it on the sinful things of this world have to be removed from our life.  If what we allow to stream through our radios and iPods glorify the world in the slightest sense, we must make changes.

We are called to set our minds on the things above.  Music is given by God to pave a way for us to praise and glorify Him.  O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation.  Let us come before his presence with thanksgiving, and make a joyful noise unto him with psalms (Psalm 95:1-2).

Today’s Challenge:  Identify what feelings you have when listening to music you regularly play.  What do these songs cause you to think about?  After a song has ended, has it drawn you closer to the Lord or have your thoughts been compromised?  Take inventory, dear friend.  Pray and ask God to make clear where His role is in the music that plays through your life.