a view through annie's eyes

I am just a little more than convinced that music makes the devil mad. I am talking about call-down-the-power-of-heaven music that sends our souls straight to the Beautiful Feet at the Throne. What is there about some words put with notes that reach the soul faster than just the same words spoken? It’s an old joke that the difference between a machine gun and a praise song is that a praise song has more rounds. Some songs can be repetitive, but the same words can speak to you on the 8^th time when they didn’t register before.

Years ago, I taught children’s church with two of my friends. One time, we needed to kill a little time before we brought them back in for the service, so my friend started singing, “All Things Bright and Beautiful” and my other friend and I were just trying to follow along to help the kids sing, since she had all the words, and I do mean ALL. I never knew an old hymn could have so many stanzas in her. We sang “All things bright and beautiful. All creatures great and small. All things wise and wonderful. The Lord God made them all.” The song goes on to name all the creatures and living things…and repeats that chorus over and over. Anyway, even today, if we catch each other’s eye when we sing that song in the service, we cannot stop ourselves from bursting into laughter, oh, on about the fourth chorus.

Repetition has a way about speaking to our hearts. We start tuning in. We start opening up. And receptive hearts are a good thing. Last night, I was in one of my moods, and a dear friend and I were online chatting. We started sending links to songs and playing them one right after the other. Just by listening to worship on my computer and chatting, I started feeling better. We agreed, we would praise Him and enjoy the music therapy again soon. It was so sweet to worship across the miles together. And we knew “where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.” Music was that thread. Music was a link to each other and to our great God. Would you sing with me, “How Great is Our God?” You’ll be glad you’re on the other side, out of earshot of my offering.

How great is our God – Chris Tomlin