Blogging BCM: My Heart and Music

Last night Tim continued his series on Worldliness and Christian Worldview with My Heart and Music. What I want to focus on today is digging deeper into the subject and realizing how we should go about choosing our music and the things we listen to. Once again, as with last weeks post, I really want to focus on 1 Corinthians 10:31. It reads:

So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

We must realize that whatever we do (whatever we listen to), we must do to the glory of God. We get so wrapped up in music most of the time that we forget that we are supposed to be listening to and using music to the glory of God. Bob Kauflin writes in Worldliness:

Music is meant to be a means of bringing glory to God, one more way in which we can "proclaim the excellencies of him who called [us] out of darkness into his marvelous light" (1 Peter 2:9).

For us to realize how we are to look at music, we must start by having a clear understanding that when we listen to and enjoy music, we must do so in a way that brings glory to God. So often we get set on the need for music to help with our emotions. We want to listen to soft, soothing music when we're depressed, sad or tired. We want to listen to heavy, fast music to pump us up. We listen to hard, blatant music when we're mad. How often do we think of music though in a way that we say, "I want to listen to this because I know that it will bring glory to God." We most often listen to music for our own enjoyment, rather than for God's enjoyment. A lot of times our music choices reveal the hypocritical, sinful nature that lies inside of us. Kauflin writes:

It's not uncommon for Christians on Sunday mornings to worship Jesus for his substitutionary death on the cross, then sing songs during the week that exalt the sins he died for.

How powerful is that? Is that you? I know so often it has been me. We get so wrapped up in the music that we want to listen to and so many times it's the music we want to listen to because it pleases our sinful hearts. Kauflin says:

Music, like all of God's gifts, is meant to draw our hearts and attention to his glory, his power, and his love.

Music is supposed to draw our hearts to God, not please our sinful nature. Music, like anything, is a battleground for temptation. Music has become a prime tool for Satan to use to draw our hearts away from God and into the sinful desires of this fallen world. We must resist his temptation and fight to make all of our musical choices in light of the knowledge that they are to bring glory to God. We must take the time to evaluate our musical choices and whether or not they truly bring glory to our Savior or bring glory to us and the sin that's inside.

Tim talked last night about the possibility of giving up music, getting rid of your music or making some serious music changes in your life. Kauflin writes regarding the possible need for such things:

Giving up, reducing, or changing your music diet may feel like a sacrifice. It might be. You may have to sacrifice looking cool to your friends to please your heavenly Father. You might have to sacrifice slavery to earthly appetites and pleasures so you can pursue and enjoy eternal ones. (Can we even call those sacrifices?)

But no sacrifice we make compares to the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. He redeemed us to purchase our forgiveness and to earn us a place among those who "no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised: (2 Corinthians 5:15).

That means music is no longer ours to use however we want. It never was. It was never meant to provide what can be found only in a relationship with the Savior. Music is a precious gift, but it makes a terrible god. By God's grace, may we always know the difference.

That's what I want to end with. Music so often is used by us as a god, one that pleases us rather than the Only True God. May we stop listening to music for our own needs and desires, and start using music as a way to only glorify God in everything we do.

Questions to focus on in your personal devotions:

1. Has music become to you something that pleases you and your sinful nature, or something you enjoy to the glory of God?

2. Take time this week to read through some of the Psalms and notice how they use music to the glory of God and praise in all walks of life.

3. Take this week to just listen to music that glorifies God. I know it may be hard, but is the Christian walk meant to be easy? Put away all of those secular music for a week and listen to some hymns, praise songs and other forms of music that do nothing but glorify God and Christ's death on the cross. Take the commute in your car as a form of worship instead of a time to please your sinful nature.

As always, if there's anything you ever need or want to talk about, Tim and I are always available.