When Music Helps

“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:” (Ecclesiastes 3:1) What a beautiful passage.  It shows us that we can enjoy life to the fullest and that there are things we do that are natural and okay (time to weep…..time to laugh….time to dance). Music is one that comes along in our lifetime and plays an integral role in it.  Music a balm to the soul and healing in so many ways  It is great to know how to use music to bring a peace and worship in your life that will heal, convict and cleanse.   I sing. I LOVE to sing. I have a song for EVERYTHING and everyone knows this about me. Singing to me is why I am joyful and why I can have peace day by day. The songs bring me peace because of the message they have and the melody they carry. Do a study (or just sit and listen) on different types of music and I think you’ll probably agree that none are created equal and most have a non peaceful quality to them. What music is a balm to YOUR soul? What song speaks to your heart and brings you closer to Christ? Stephanie (our 17 year old) asked me the other day what my favorite hymn was. I couldn’t give just one. My heart loves them all because they soothe, challenge and convict depending on the time of my life. However, there is ONE hymn that is timeless to my soul and probably heads the pack. Listen to it below (my husband, Pierre, is the pianist) and think about the words. These are the original words with some verses we don’t sing. They are so gripping.

Come, Thou fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace; Streams of mercy, never ceasing, Call for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some melodious sonnet, Sung by flaming tongues above. Praise the mount! I’m fixed upon it, Mount of Thy redeeming love.

Sorrowing I shall be in spirit, Till released from flesh and sin, Yet from what I do inherit, Here Thy praises I’ll begin; Here I raise my Ebenezer; Here by Thy great help I’ve come; And I hope, by Thy good pleasure, Safely to arrive at home.

Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wandering from the fold of God; He, to rescue me from danger, Interposed His precious blood; How His kindness yet pursues me Mortal tongue can never tell, Clothed in flesh, till death shall loose me I cannot proclaim it well.

O to grace how great a debtor Daily I’m constrained to be! Let Thy goodness, like a fetter, Bind my wandering heart to Thee. Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it, Prone to leave the God I love; Here’s my heart, O take and seal it, Seal it for Thy courts above.

O that day when freed from sinning, I shall see Thy lovely face; Clothèd then in blood washed linen How I’ll sing Thy sovereign grace; Come, my Lord, no longer tarry, Take my ransomed soul away; Send Thine angels now to carry Me to realms of endless day.