Scripture: Psalm 98
Music is a tool, a tool that moves the spirit of a person. For my birthday I received a CD from a friend. It is probably one of my favorite albums even though it was originally produced before I understood what music was. (I was alive but only a few months old.) This album makes me think, it actually drives me into a spirit of worship. I do not know why and most people would be scared about what I was worshiping by listening to it.
The album is Pink Floyd’s The Wall. The music reminds me of the brokenness of mankind and the struggle each of us make just to survive. We each have wounds from various places: our parents getting a divorce, bullies and teachers at school, the threat of war, and countless others. To protect our vulnerable spirit we build defensive walls to hide behind. We hide behind the wall afraid to show our true selves to the world. The wall become our facade, who we think we are. It was built to protect but it morphs into our prison, we would like to be free and real but we cannot think of living life without our protective wall.
The album stirs emotions in me, which is the point. Music is used to prompt emotions, thoughts, passions. This album reminds me of what life could be like, but does not have to be. There is another option. The bricks of the wall could be used for other purposes.
The Psalm today speaks of a victorious life with the Lord. A life where God shows the world what he can do. It speaks of a battle, but we are not sure who the players are. If you wanted to study it deeper you could probably figure it out, but the writer does not say who the Lord was victorious over. It is left up to the imagination. What if the victory was the transformation of a life hidden behind a wall, but brought out into and warmed by the light of God? Somehow the light breached through the cracks between the bricks sparking life within the dying spirit withering in the darkness of their prison. Slowly and steadly enlightening more and more of the life until the wall has been transformed into a beautiful labyrinth leading to the throne of God.
As we travel this pathway we are filled with more life, greater energy and hope. We are vulnerable to the word yet not worried about what it can do because the Lord is drawing us in and protecting us as we sing His praises.
Today consider what bricks you have in your life, the issues that you struggle with, and consider where we are putting them. Are we stacking them up building walls to seperate us from the people around us, or are we allowing God to use those struggles to build a pathway for us to walk on? Consider those people that we have in our lives, are we allowing them to become bricks in a wall or are we letting God turn those stressful people into songs of praise and ornimates in the garden of our lives?
Who would ever think a progressive rock album from the 1979 would prompt a guy in 2012 to praise God? Crazy things happen when God is in your life. I also challenge you to prayerfully listen to music, consider what it is stiring in your life. If you have kids it may be a great oppertunity to open up lines of communication between you as you just listen to the music. I am not going to say that there is great spiritual significance in every song but there is movement. If you play an instrument consider a jam session with God.
I also encourage you to let others know how God is moving in your life. On a path we will meet others on our journey sharing our experiences often gives help to others and may also prevent us from building another wall.
Discussion
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