A Musical God

When you think of music, do you think of the creator of the universe? One of God's many languages He uses to speak with us is song, and I'm not necessarily speaking of songs with worship lyrics.

It's cliché to think of heaven as a place with cloud floors and cherubic angels who play on harps. There's nothing in the Bible that would suggest that is anywhere close to the truth of heaven. However, I can guarantee one thing you'll encounter when you cross the "pearly gates": there will be music. There's no telling what genre of music is prevalent or if they all exist there, possibly more genres than we know. In fact, I dare to say that music is something our soul uses to communicate in a language no one has to learn to understand. It's one of the many ways we are a mirror of God's attributes, and music came straight down from God. Why would God have music in heaven? Because He loves it!

And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, And they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. - Revelation 14:2-3

And when he had taken the scroll, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, each holding a harp, and golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of the saints. And they sang a new song, saying,

“Worthy are you to take the scroll
and to open its seals,
for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God
from every tribe and language and people and nation,
and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God,
and they shall reign on the earth.” - Revelation 5:8-10

When the morning stars sang together And all the sons of God shouted for joy? - Job 38:7

And suddenly there appeared with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, "Glory to God in the highest, And on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased." - Luke 2:13-14

I've actually read some sources that state angels don't seem to be able to sing as they are usually shown as "saying" things and never singing even while humans (albeit sometimes in heaven) are shown as "singing." Whatever the case may be, music is after God's own heart.

Praise the Lord! Praise God in his sanctuary; praise him in his mighty heavens! Praise him for his mighty deeds; praise him according to his excellent greatness! Praise him with trumpet sound; praise him with lute and harp! Praise him with tambourine and dance; praise him with strings and pipe! Praise him with sounding cymbals; praise him with loud clashing cymbals! - Psalm 150:1-6

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. - Psalm 40:3

Psalms are an entire book of songs, many of them written by David, the musician king. Then, of course, there's the Song of Solomon.

While we're on the subject of music, the Bible is filled with dancing.

Miriam the prophetess, Aaron's sister, took the timbrel in her hand, and all the women went out after her with timbrels and with dancing. - Exodus 15:20

"Again I will build you and you will be rebuilt, O virgin of Israel! Again you will take up your tambourines, And go forth to the dances of the merrymakers. - Jeremiah 31:4

Praise Him with timbrel and dancing; Praise Him with stringed instruments and pipe. - Psalm 149:3

And David was dancing before the LORD with all his might, and David was wearing a linen ephod. - 2 Samuel 6:14

It happened when the ark of the covenant of the LORD came to the city of David, that Michal the daughter of Saul looked out of the window and saw King David leaping and celebrating; and she despised him in her heart. - 1 Chronicles 15:29

I know there are denominations which do not condone dancing, but if the Bible has anything to say about the matter, it seems God likes dancing in worship. He likes songs filled with instruments and those filled with voices.

Do you have a song in your heart? Will you sing or dance to it before God today?

God bless!

For Life is More

Everything in this world screams to be your master and your main focus, even things seemingly innocuous. We too easily give our power up to the least things. In a life full of survival, God wants you to not just live but to thrive.

Then Jesus said to His disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat, or about your body, what you will wear. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothes. Consider the ravens: They do not sow or reap; they have no storehouse or barn, yet God feeds them. How much more valuable are you than the birds! - Luke 12:23

If you're focused on only getting by each day you'll lose sight of the reality of His grace, love, and the fulfillment of His promises in your life. You'll lose sight of the opportunity to be His hands and feet. You'll lose yourself to the continuous waves of the ocean, trying to keep your head above water.

We're not talking about clinical depression or severe illness, which sometimes necessitates a hyper-focus on yourself and your survival, at least for portions of time. He is the Healer, and He understands this situation even while He wants more for you.

There's a reason He's called a rock. He's the stillness in chaos, the peace in a storm, and the breeze on a torturously hot day. You stand firm on Him, you don't need to always think about where your next meal will come from or whether you'll be able to cover your skin or have a roof over your head.

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. - John 10:10

I'm not saying you'll be rich or even have a daily meal. What I mean is God is beyond all this. You pray for rain, but He can fulfill your thirst without it. You pray for money for rent, but He can keep a roof over your head without it. If your head is on the surface of life, you'll want the tools to help yourself, and you know, He might give them. However, KNOW that you can rely on Him instead of those tools. When your God is above the mundane of life, so are you. When your Father is the creator and keeper of all things, beings, from one corner of the universe to the next, in control of all, what can you fear? What is even physical death but a minor inconvenience?

Many times, if you study history or anthropology, you'll learn that when people were no longer worried as much about day-to-day survival as a civilization, art and creativity burgeoned into the world like a butterfly escaping its chrysalis. This is just a peek at the rebirth you were saved for. There is a kingdom within you that you're spreading. You're not just spreading life, you're spreading LIFE through God and His word.

How do you do this? The biggest way is to Love.

Does this mean to quit your day job or forget about your responsibilities? Does this mean to get rid of your 401k? No, it means to re-understand your place and purpose in life and know that your job and your savings were not allowed you by God to keep food on the table. God can do more than that for you. It's there for you to love others and learn lessons you may need later to love yet still more.

Money, resources, emergency supplies, and the rest are merely tools, options in a world where God is in control of all. If He gives you those tools, they remain His, and you are their stewards, responsible for using them on behalf of God's will.

Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”
Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?” Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.
”And he told them this parable:
“The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest. He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.’ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain. And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.” ’
“But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’
“This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.” - Luke 12:13-21

Give to one another what you have, whether that is material things, time, energy, love, etc. You are no longer a person surviving in the world. You are a Child of God, thriving in His kingdom.

Do you know the ONLY time God asked His people to test Him?

Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, so that there may be food in My house, and test Me now in this,” says the Lord of hosts, “if I will not open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you a blessing until it overflows. - Malachi 3:10

What does this mean? Give. Give what you have, and don't worry for your survival. God will provide. Test Him in this!

So, what does charity and volunteerism have to do with living your life to the fullest? Everything. Check out these clearly not religious links:

Psychology Today
Harvard Health
The Guardian

God knows what we need. We need Him. We thrive off loving one another. God bless!

But He answered and said, "It is written, "Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God."" - Matthew 4:4

God's Name

You'll come across it all the time in the Bible: God's name. You'll see it in so many forms. He's called Yahweh, I am that I am (or "I will be who/what I will be" depending on translation), El Shaddai, the Elohim, El Roi, Lord of hosts/armies, and sometimes simply The Name.

Why is God's name so important that it's brought up repeatedly? First, the Hebrews were surrounded by nations who had their own "gods," and they wanted to make sure to differentiate their One True God from all the others. Back in the Old Testament, when God "left" the other nations to the "foreign gods" after they abandoned Him at the tower of Babel, the Hebrews were brought out from this confusion to start over with God as the light for all. He'd always intended to save us all, and to do that, we needed to know who He is.

There is power in a name. It signifies an identity, of course, but also the characteristics and reputation of that identity. God is not like the other "gods," who were like fallen humans with some magic capabilities or like distant stars that left people to their destinies with little care.

We learn His characteristics:

He's holy.

Pray then like this: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name. - Matthew 6:9

He's a place of refuge.

The name of the Lord is a strong tower; the righteous man runs into it and is safe. - Proverbs 18:10

He is salvation.

And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved. - Acts 4:12

He was the same God of all the righteous people He'd called on before. He is the uncreated creator.

Then Moses said to God, “If I come to the people of Israel and say to them, ‘The God of your fathers has sent me to you,’ and they ask me, ‘What is his name?’ what shall I say to them?” God said to Moses, “I am who (that) I am.” And he said, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘I am has sent me to you.’” God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel, ‘The Lord, the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations. - Exodus 3:13-15

He existed first and will always exist.

“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, “who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” - Revelation 1:8

He is our Father and comforter.

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” - Romans 8:15

He is the only way, truth, and life.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. - John 14:6

He is our healer.

Saying, “If you will diligently listen to the voice of the Lord your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, your healer.” - Exodus 15:6

He has the ultimate power and knowledge above all others.

Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name? Surely you know! - Proverbs 30:4

He is jealous as He's the One who created, loves, and guides you. Why would you follow another?

...for you shall worship no other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God - Exodus 34:14

He is very serious about His reputation as it's how His people will know Him. He is all the above characteristics and more.

“Therefore, behold, I will make them know, this once I will make them know my power and my might, and they shall know that my name is the Lord.” - Jeremiah 16:21

Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, - Matthew 28:19

Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here am I.” - Isaiah 52:6

You shall not swear by my name falsely, and so profane the name of your God: I am the Lord. - Leviticus 19:12

You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain. - Exodus 20:7

Just skimming the Bible, you'll find that names were important to God and the Hebrews for signifying the essence of a being, including humans. Names were changed when the person made a change in their identity. They were usually assigned a name change by God Himself.

Abram (high father) became Abraham (father of a multitude) when he was promised descendants as numerous as the sands and stars. Sarai (princess) became Sarah (mother of nations) as she would be the mother of the multitude. Jacob (supplanter) became Israel (to strive with) when God told him he'd no longer be known by his trickery but rather by his striving with God. Simon (God has heard) became Peter (rock) when he became a disciple and Jesus declared he would be the rock of His church.

What is the meaning of your name, and what do you believe God would call you? Have you experienced a deep change in identity like those in the Bible?

So will I ever sing praises to your name, as I perform my vows day after day. - Psalms 61:8

Sources outside of the Bible:

https://www.biblestudytools.com/bible-study/topical-studies/why-it-matters-that-god-is-yahweh.html
https://thebibleproject.com/podcast/theme-god-e10-gods-name-character/
https://thebibleproject.com/podcast/theme-god-e13-what-gods-name-feat-dr-michael-heiser/
https://drmsh.com/the-naked-bible/yhwh/