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March 9, 2008

Music. Why?

Why Music? Does it really have any relevance in our day and age? I mean, more people watch the Superbowl than the Grammys, MTV Awards, American Music Awards, and the American Idol Finale combined. So, why music?
I've been looking at this very question over the past week or so as I have been preparing for a Sunday School lesson. We see in scripture that David praised the Father in Psalms, and also came to him in fear...both to the tune of music. The prodigal son returned to his father and the servants we're put work in celebration and joy, music was a part of that celebration. St. John on the island of Patmos had visions and dreams that came together in the book of Revelation...much of which was the singing of praise. So, why music?
As we know, the Lord created the world and all its beings. He placed us on the Earth for relationship with Him and His created beings...He created us in His own image. We see this in the first few chapters of Genesis. Not only did He create us, but He gave us a creative responsibility when He gave Adam the task of naming the animals. We live in a beautiful and diverse world where God's fingerprint is everywhere around us. We can look at scripture and see how our creative tendencies produced music and song in scripture, and how we have the great gift of musicality today as well.

The thing about music is that it's universal. Everywhere around the world, among every socioeconomic level, and with every race there is music and song. It is one thing in the world that connects ALL people! Music has the possibility of connecting people of all generations. Norah Jones is one that comes to mind, she is one of the only artists that both my parents and I really like...HA! In the eighties we had Micheal Jackson's Thriller, and in the sixties, seventies, eighties, nineties, and even today we have Bob Dylan, whose songs are heard all over and people of all generations enjoy his music and what he has to say.

Music connects people through experience. It was the year 2000 and Linkin Park's Hybrid Theory had just come out amongst a genre of music that was dying, Rap/Metal.

Although the rest of their counterparts we're falling off the charts, their album was becoming the highest sold album of the year...a year with major releases by Britney Spears, *N Sync, and Eminem. How could this be the case? Their album was written by a guy in the band who had grown up in an extremely abusive household. The music from the album was based on that alone...his fears as a result, his pride being broken, his self-abusive behavior. If you listen to any song you can hear the anger; and why so many kids came to love that album...someone finally understood what they felt and how they live...it was instant connection for many.
Music is beautiful and a connector for all. I can listen to a song in another language and not know or understand a single song, but get the emotion behind it. I can recognize it as beautiful.
For all the reasons, playing music, writing music, and just plain listening to music is a spiritual act. We connect to God's creations, therefore we connect to God. He pulls us to Him through music, and causes us to pray, to be in relationship with Him. Music is a blessing!

| By Nathan Gemayel | 6:55 PM

Comments

Posted by: RG at March 20, 2008 8:39 PM

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