"Sing these songs, and they will renew you from head to toe, from heart to mind. Pray these poems, and they will sustain you on the long, hard but exhilarating road of Christian discipleship." (N.T. Wright pg 35)
"They will renew you from head to toe, from heart to mind"
How often I have found myself sitting at my piano singing old songs like I Lift My Eyes Up Psalm 121:1-2, and found refuge in the words. Almost as if a restart button has been pushed. Through songs like this, a cathartic experience happens where I can lay my burdens at the feet of my Father where true renewal is found. I think something occurs when these sacred words are put to music. My heart is more malleable when God speaks to me and I am more apt to listen during times of worship. The words are more accessible to my memory when put to music as opposed to strict memorization. When Wright speaks of renewal from heart to mind, it's as if the struggle between the two is put to rest. These words wash over me, and my heart and mind are at peace with one another. The things God stirs in my heart begin to transform my way of thinking. I love that line.
“Pray these poems, and
they will sustain you on the long, hard but exhilarating road of Christian discipleship."
With the gamut of emotions found in the Psalms, there is a passage to pray no matter the circumstances. I find myself wanting to sink into the words Wright uses as he talks about how the Psalms will "sustain" me in my journey. He says it’s going to be hard, it's going to be long, but it’s going to be exhilarating. How reminiscent these words are to our talk with Adam Russell when he shared about ministry being a marathon.
Countless times I have read the Psalms and been surprised by the raw emotion wondering if the author crying out to God is sinning in His prayers. I then find comfort in knowing that Christians have for ages battled this seesaw of emotions; at times feeling blessed beyond words, at times feeling fully abandoned by God.
In regards to worship, something in my own life that continues to amaze me is how quickly I can recall the melody of a song even from childhood; yet, I struggle immensely to memorize scripture. What a gift to have passages, not just a verse, but an entire passage put to music and sung as a worship song. These songs are literally putting the words of God on our hearts without it being realized. It makes me want to seek these songs that are based on the passages of scripture out and use them in my sets. As the day goes on, someone merely humming the tune of a worship song is actually quoting scripture. What could be more helpful to those I have the opportunity to lead into worship? This also inspires me to practice "writing" songs where the lyrics are straight from the Bible. Even if it only stays in the confines of my own home, and is a terrible song, the worst that could happen is I learn more scripture.
With the gamut of emotions found in the Psalms, there is a passage to pray no matter the circumstances. I find myself wanting to sink into the words Wright uses as he talks about how the Psalms will "sustain" me in my journey. He says it’s going to be hard, it's going to be long, but it’s going to be exhilarating. How reminiscent these words are to our talk with Adam Russell when he shared about ministry being a marathon.
Countless times I have read the Psalms and been surprised by the raw emotion wondering if the author crying out to God is sinning in His prayers. I then find comfort in knowing that Christians have for ages battled this seesaw of emotions; at times feeling blessed beyond words, at times feeling fully abandoned by God.
In regards to worship, something in my own life that continues to amaze me is how quickly I can recall the melody of a song even from childhood; yet, I struggle immensely to memorize scripture. What a gift to have passages, not just a verse, but an entire passage put to music and sung as a worship song. These songs are literally putting the words of God on our hearts without it being realized. It makes me want to seek these songs that are based on the passages of scripture out and use them in my sets. As the day goes on, someone merely humming the tune of a worship song is actually quoting scripture. What could be more helpful to those I have the opportunity to lead into worship? This also inspires me to practice "writing" songs where the lyrics are straight from the Bible. Even if it only stays in the confines of my own home, and is a terrible song, the worst that could happen is I learn more scripture.
Just a side note, there
are a few parts of Judges that seriously blew my mind. Again and again I am dumbfounded by the
justice of the Old Testament.
No comments:
Post a Comment