What do you like to listen to? What touches your soul? I recently heard a gentleman ask a pastor what his favorite music was? Contemporary, traditional, hymns, gospel, southern gospel?? Of course everyone laughed when the young man answered, “I really don’t like being yelled at, where I can’t even understand the lyrics, and……don’t really get into polka.”
Christian music takes on many genres. MANY. I have to say I love most of them. I grew up on pop and big band…………Lawrence Welk’s music was all familiar to me. High school music brought in lots of musical scores from Sound of Music to Oklahoma to Pajama Game and beyond. I knew some traditional hymns and a few Sunday School songs, but mostly I knew pop songs from listening to the upbeat KIOA radio station out of Des Moines. Yep, 940 am. Mom would make fun of me as my lyrics didn’t always match up with the song’s lyrics. She say to me, “De….it’s telling a story—-it’s gotta make sense.” I always loved being able to find lyric sheets so that I could understand every bit of the song story. Yes, there is always a story. And those stories inspire…………………….for the good and for the not so good.
What do you listen to? What are your children listening to? What are the songs telling and teaching? Are they uplifting or depressing? Filled with love or anger? Moving you to service or be self-absorbed or to act up them? Sometimes I catch myself being negative or down. It doesn’t take long to change my mood when I listen to an uplifting album or a Christian station. The music is up-lifting and hope-filled.
This life can get you down…..in this crooked and depraved generation we live in on this planet. (Phil 2: 14)
In my twenties I became a believer and follower of Jesus Christ. Once I crossed over, of course a whole new world opened up to me. Contemporary Christian music was making its way on the scene on a large scale in the mid 70’s and I was overcome with joy hearing these contemporary music artists singing and glorifying my Lord. God was so gracious to me as I heard the then seventeen-year old budding artist, Amy Grant, singing over the radio while I was turning the knob to find something “decent” one morning, just a few days after my conversion. Where had I been? I had no clue there was music like this!! Only hymns for the Christian life. Yes, and a few southern gospel songs I’d only heard in watching the tube.
Nowadays the airwaves are flooded with musicians praising God, and they are fitting into so many genres. I have to say I love them all (except the ones yelling at me where I cannot understand the words). I’ve shared a few favorites with you already. I’ll share a secret with you. Come in close……….i love so many songs from so many artists I can’t begin to tell you them all. and i go to as many christian concerts as i possibly can. they are TERRIFIC!
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable–if anything is excellent or praiseworthy–think about such things.” Philippians 4:8,9
What are you filling your mind with? Are you careful to listen to truth? Are you careful to listen to righteousness? Is this good for me? Will I be dragged down by this? Scared from this? Motivated to be better by this? Is this good for my soul and others? Would I be embarrassed if the Lord was sitting next to me listening……watching…..reading? Is this beneficial to my life?
Annie introduced me to a new band today. I jumped on Youtube.com and checked them out. I wanted you to hear this band today, too. Have you heard of Bonray? Three brothers and one sister are living out God’s plans for them with the gifts He has given them. SIMPLY AWESOME!
“Turn your eyes upon Jesus. Look full in His wonderful face. And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, in the light of His glory and grace.”
(old hymn by Helen H. Lemmel)
Perhaps you and your family will download or listen to a few of their tunes. Impressive stuff. Motivates me to want to give the Lord more glory and praise for Who He is and What he has done for you and me, my friends.
Hope you’re turning your eyes to Jesus, the AUTHOR and FINISHER of our faith.
