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To the Editor:
Thanks to the Elizabethton Star for reporting on the great revival in Kentucky. Students continued to pray, sing and worship God and after nearly three weeks the event has become a legendary, spontaneous revival at Asbury, Ky., with thousands of college students changed forever. We were all made to praise God and all need to sing and worship God. We sing hymns in obedience to God.
The Bible in Colossians 3:16 relates how we are to sing hymns and spiritual songs. “Let the Word of Christ Jesus dwell in you richly…singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.” The singing of God’s word is a command, not an option. Probably because music reaches deeper than the spoken word. Singing and playing music can transfer joy and encouragement to others, making it a powerful tool of worship and the gospel. According to Matthew 26:30 after the last Passover supper, Jesus sang hymns with His disciples.
Music is referenced in different forms in over 1,150 verses in the Bible. They include psalms, harp, timbrel, lyre, voice, hymn, and more. It’s one of the most referenced subjects in the Bible. A good deal of the Bible is written as song and poetry. Music is intimately woven into creation. A steady drop of rain on a tin roof, the ocean’s waves breaking, the whistle of the wind and the solid rush of a waterfall are among infinite examples of the rhythm of God’s creation.
Many people sleep to the sounds of creation. It’s no mystery music is an integral part of our lives and the church. The instruments of the Old Testament were used in various ways. Some were a call to battle, while others calmed the flocks at night. The music of David’s harp helped King Soul sleep and was like medicine. Israel won battles by singing and worshiping without having to fight. The enjoyment of music has no economic boundaries. From the fine-tuned lyre and gold harps played before kings to a lowly carved flute in a poor shepherd’s hand, music displays the soul of man. Don’t miss the blessings from singing praises to God. The world needs Christian music now more than ever!
The use of music for celebration is referenced in 2 Samuel 6:5, “David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with castanets, harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums, and cymbals.” The women sang songs to David when he returned triumphant after facing the giant Philistine, “the women sang and danced…with tambourines, with joy and with musical instruments. (1 Samuel 18: 6-10) The angels heralded the birth of Jesus to the shepherds as they “sang praises to God.” As is still common today, the use of music was found in weddings and funerals in the Bible. Job 30:31 reads, “my harp is turned to mourning, and my flute to the voice of those who weep.”
My favorite Christian song on YouTube is “This Blood” by Rachel Chapman. It’s a wonderful Easter song. I also like “In Christ Alone” and “Shine Jesus Shine.” I also enjoy hearing the Kingdom Heirs Gospel Quartet sing at Dollywood especially since Loren Harris, one member of the group, is from Elizabethton. Modern church worship music should be theologically sound. It’s not Christian music if it isn’t Biblically correct. It should have breadth so it reaches into the various parts of life. Prayerfully coordinated for praise, thanksgiving, confession and dedication, songs can include traditional hymns, tunes for children as well as contemporary worship music. The music selection should always encourage and have some corporate worship. Above all the goal is to worship and bring glory to God! Jesus said in John 4 the attitude of the worshipper is the most important. According to Psalm 100 and Hebrews 12, God wants us to bring an attitude to worship of great joy and reverent awe with thankfulness.
Romans 12 says give your body to God as a living sacrifice is true and proper service and worship. A lifetime of obeying and putting nothing before God is the highest worship! Jesus has with His precious blood fully paid for all the sins of Christians and deserves the highest praise, honor and glory. Very soon after the rapture all Christians will sing in Heaven, “Blessing, and honor and glory and power, be unto Him that sits upon the throne and unto the Lamb forever and ever!”

D.D. Nave
Elizabethton