Lessons in Music

I love the Christmas season. I am enjoying listening to beautiful Christmas music as I write. There is something about words put to beautiful music that touches the soul. God has used music to teach me so many amazing lessons. Some of them have been hard. I’ve fought against them at times. But when I have surrendered to God’s better plan for my life, I have found intimacy and joy in the presence of my Savior. God has chosen at this stage to completely take me out of the music portion of every service because of some rather drastic reactions to the music within my frail shell. I say that not to elicit pity, but to help you understand the beauty of the lessons I have been learning from music lately. God has given me the privilege of singing solos for Him alone each Sunday. I have the freedom to kneel, cry or even dance as I sing, and not worry about what anyone else is thinking. I am not distracted by the clothing or hair or attitudes of anyone around me as I sing to God. I can worship in song with my whole heart. Of course I could also do that in the service with everyone else. But I’m so sinful and weak, and can so easily focus on people rather than God, and seek to glorify myself by the notes coming past my lips rather than magnify the only one who deserves glory. So my loving Heavenly Father has sweetly removed me from those temptations and has taught me to delight in singing to Him, and Him alone. So as we sing Christmas songs this month I will revel in the truth that I was saved to worship the one who gave up heaven for me.