Hello, Brothers and Sisters in Christ!!!
This is is my first time posting something on the Christian Music Forum (or maybe I posted a Christian song under here in the past, but I honestly couldn't remember, since what I usually do is post a music video for Christian music along with my thoughts and sharings, in hopes of encouraging others). This is gonna come out as a pretty long post (I had to break it in sections, so as not to be too long XD). I hope that you'd give my sharing here a chance, and that you'd find the read not too tedious, and hopefully, somewhat enlightening.
I am, by nature, a great lover of music since I was a kid, it has been a source of great joy and comfort, even before I became a Christian. It was actually my "nightlight" and my "teddy bear" when I was very young XD I was always sent to bed pretty early. Kids usually get very scared of the dark, but I was comfortable sleeping on my own in the full black of my room, with the radio playing 80s music, carrying my thoughts into dreams, my imagination stirred by the songs (I'm the type who loves making stories and scripts in my head XD pretty much always dreaming even when awake!!!). Through the years, I have come to discover different genres. And I can say that my love for music spans throughout all genres. From the refined classical music harmonies, to the nitty-gritty rock beats with impressive riffs. I am not confined to a single one, as long as the overall song appealed to me.
Aside from being exposed constantly to music, I grew to discover that I do have music in me from a raspy voice grew something that was, as my brother put it, "golden" I never want to admit it so much (for fear of becoming puffed up), but I can sing rather beautifully. It is a great gift from GOD, I discovered, as I grew in HIM after HE saved me. HE gave me a voice, not just to express my heart, and touch and impress others. It was, ultimately, a gift to lift up HIS name in praise and worship!!! and oh, how I love to sing to the LORD!!! To worship HIM, expressing my love and adoration for HIM with all that is within me...that is my true desire. And I want to be able to do this, not just with music and words, but with the very way I live for HIM.
Music is, indeed, something wonderful it's a beautiful gift from our GOD, enabling us to touch hearts and express our hearts beyond words. A medium so powerful, that it could be both a blessing and a curse to those who hear. It influences in ways that are hard to explain. It could stir emotion, and sometimes, even affect behavior. For these reasons, I believe the use of music should be one that is done with utmost care, whether it be for personal use, or for reaching out to others. It, by itself, is inherently neutral. But, like a weapon, it could be used for bad or good. And, I'm sure most of you are aware, that Satan has been gifted this talent to create beautiful music which, sadly, he uses to draw people away from GOD instead of closer to HIS heart. That's why mainstream secular music is SO PLEASANT to our senses. It was designed to be that way, not just for marketing the music, but to create a "following". Songs are written and music is made, not just to thrill our senses. They ALWAYS send a message. Two ways: to the listener, and to the bearer of the songs themselves. We can look at it as a proclamation of what is in our hearts, when we are the one singing. And when we sway with the music, we are, with our bodies, showing our approval.
But let's ask ourselves: what ARE we following??? Ourselves and what pleases our senses? Or the Spirit of GOD? Are we listening and supporting worldly artists? Or are we supporting those who are truly inspired by our Holy LORD?
(To be continued in my next post)
