Have your ever thought what life would be like without music, any music? Lately I have been thinking about the blessing of music. What an incredible gift!
I don't mean to suggest that I like all music. Frankly, some music is more accurately described as noise to me. What I have been thinking about is the grand experience of music to humanity in general. It is truly amazing.
With a mere handful of notes and a handful of keys we have not exhausted the melodies that can be made. There is a science to sound that defines music. Some sounds are compatible with other sounds in a manner that is pleasant, harmonious, even beautiful. Other sounds are incompatible or discordant; they irritate our hearing. And almost all of us can hear that difference.
I think it is wonderful that a particular set of notes can have the unique quality of the source making that sound. Listen to a band perform and you will hear the same notes of the melody, but with your eyes closed you can tell the difference between the piano, the guitar, the sax, the trumpet, the bass, etc. The same is true of our voices. Different performers may sing the same song in the same key, using the same notes, yet we can hear the distinct difference in the voice of the artists.
We were on a long road trip this Christmas so we loaded up the CD player in our car with Christmas CD's. I found myself savoring an album by Kenny G. His sweet style of play and the sweet melodies of familiar Christmas songs was truly peace-inducing.
Music is capable of communicating the multitude of varied moods of our being. An easy contrast is that of the happy, joyful or celebration songs to the sad or mournful melodies and cadences. In these ways, music connects with our hearts, with our emotions. And it can do so in powerful ways.
Having pondered this subject for awhile, I have come to see two important things. First, I have seen music as a gift of God to the human race. Life is so much fuller for all of us because of music than it would be without music. Try to imagine life without it. God has given us this gift in the design of the universe. You and I can give the gift of a musical instrument, and that can be a tremendous gift; but God has given us the greater gift of music. Have you been duly appreciative? I don't think I have been. Second, music defies the naturalistic, evolutionist view of our world and life. There is no rational explanation for the existence of any beauty - including the beauty of music - apart from a Creator who designed nature to have such beauty, and designed us to enjoy and use it. The Scriptures begin by telling us that we were made "in His image". Music is one of the wonderful ways the human race has to express creativity. We can take this for granted, or we can see it as a glory of God shared with us.
Another fascinating fact about music and the Creator's design involves the way music is stored in our brains. Though the lyrics of a song are language, they are not stored in the same way or place as normal language. Thus, it is not uncommon to find a stroke victim who is unable to speak words, yet can access and sing the lyrics of songs stored in the brain. If that sounds like something that happened by some random acts of nature, you hear differently than I. I see the fingerprints of a Mighty God, an Awesome Creator!
Finally, music is a common grace. That is, it is given to all. Thus, it can be used for noble purposes or for ignoble purposes. I believe it is our duty before the Creator to use it for noble purposes. By this I do not mean that all music must be of a religious or ostensibly spiritual quality. We should realize that "truth" conveyed via a catchy melody is quite powerful, but so is a lie. To appreciate music is, in part, to appreciate this great power.
Thank You, God, for the wonderful gift of music!
