Wednesday, April 21, 2010
by Pastor Dave Sonnenberg
I am going to take a one day break from the Acts series as I’d like to comment on an important event going on tonight. We’ve all heard of the Grammy’s- the annual ceremony to celebrate the best in the music industry. Well, there is a lesser known music ceremony going on tonight called, The GMA Dove Awards. It’s been going on for 40 years and is to honor the greatest achievements in the Christian Music field. The ceremony is tonight but will actually be shown on some TV stations this Sunday evening. See the site--http://www.doveawards.com/.
Although the awards are primarily in the contemporary Christian Genre, today I’d like to just pause and give thanks to God for the gift of music (in any genre). I know people who are deeply touched by the work of a Christian organist named Bach; people who are elevated by the hymns of Charles Wesley, and those who are moved by the everyday lyrics of groups like Casting Crowns, Chris Tomlin, Laura Story, and many others. Whatever your taste in music (mine is eclectic)- we should give thanks to God for the musicians who help stir our spirits with their gifts. Without their sharing of gifts, the world lose out, our worship would lose out, and we’d not have their lyrics and melodies to use time and time again.
Music has a way of touching the human soul and feeding us in ways that words on a page may not be able to. Music can calm us, excite us, energize us, and provide us with tremendous encouragement. The best among these musicians, even if they become famous, realize that all they do is offered as a gift to the world- a gift that comes from God. The best musicians realize they are instruments of God and “to God they give the glory.”
Give thanks for the musicians and ponder some of the songs that stir you this day. If you have the chance, please just share with us a song or artist who inspires you!
Note- tomorrow I will resume the lessons from Acts, although one has to remember that as Jesus called us to reach to the “ends of the earth”—musicians are a powerful force in helping us tell the story of Jesus!
"I'm waiting" one of the songs from Fireproof (the movie) is a big favorite of mine right now--heard on 91.9 and 95.1--says to much about waiting on you Lord. Our daughter is using this in her sermon for youth Sunday at another church this Sunday.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u3b2jw1rjBc
ReplyDeleteFor those who don't know the song that sue refers to, here is the link to the Youtube video of the song.
It's a powerful song that was sung as a solo in our church not long ago by Natalie P.