It occurred to me today that I started taking piano lessons fifteen years ago this past summer - meaning I’ve been playing piano for two-thirds of my lifetime (that’s quite a thought!) There are few things in life that have given me such joy, such creative expression, and such connection with my Creator. Music is such a blessing - it helps us release emotions, express our hearts in ways simple words can’t, and transcends the bounds of culture, language, and creed. I think the devil hates music...maybe he enjoys it a little when he’s twisted it for his own purposes (he does that sometimes), but I think on the whole, he hates it as much as God loves it. That’s why he misuses it so ardently.
God loves music...we know from Scripture that music plays 24/7 in Heaven, so He must absolutely love it. He sings over us, too...the idea of what that must sound like makes me wonder how amazing that must sound. It’s something I long to hear with my physical ears one day. (I also long to hear Him laugh...but that’s another post for another day). From my youngest age, I was immersed in music - good quality, God-honoring music. By the time I was six or seven, I was a die-hard Petra and Carman fan, frequently choosing to listen to them over more kid-oriented music. I danced around to ‘I Love the Lord’ and ‘Sunday School Rock,’ among other tracks. My worship knew no bounds. I discovered Christian pop as a teenager after attending a Franklin Graham crusade in our city (and finally found my way out of ’90s music...lol), and for a few years, I immersed myself into that genre more than worship. It wasn’t that I didn’t continue to worship, but I was exploring other styles, learning what I did and didn’t like. I got a partial revelation of what worship is when I was twelve. My family and I attended a two-day event in Toronto with a couple who are known for their spontaneous worship (Alberto and Kimberly Rivera). I was seeking a greater understanding of worship, and I got a piece. More was to come in future years. I still remember where I was the moment God announced to me that I was going to be a worship leader. I can’t tell you how old I was...probably thirteen or fourteen. It wasn’t too many years after I had begun to learn what worship was. My family was worshipping together in our music room, and I was lying under the upright piano (my sister was playing her electric keyboard). I was none too pleased when I heard Him clearly say, “You’re going to lead worship.” I wanted to be in music - that was almost a no-brainer. My passion for music was massive. But I was hoping to be a Christian pop star, not a worship leader! I got used to the idea, even starting to lead worship at our family gatherings when I was fifteen. To be sure, I was lacking a good deal in the maturity I really needed, but I know very few teenagers who started their life’s calling with total maturity. (If you’re lucky, you gain it fairly quickly. Many don’t, and I wouldn’t say I did either.) I had opportunities to lead worship a few times over the next few years, and by the time God told me that worship was to be my ‘bailiwick’ when I was eighteen, I was a lot more receptive to the idea. In fact, I barely realized it at the time, but my love of the spotlight was diminishing while my love of the One I was singing to was growing. In the meantime, I was learning new musical skills. My older sister bestowed her years of musical education on me (probably cringing at my tendency to learn things at my own pace, often denying music theory rules until I came to see their usefulness). I picked up flute at age fourteen, guitar two years later, Irish whistle/penny whistle three years after that, piano accordion two years after that, and even dabbled in kalimba when another sister gave me one the following year. And piano...an anointing came on that. I didn’t seek it, though I would have wanted it if I’d stopped to think about it. Truth be told, it’s fun to infiltrate an atmosphere with peace! I learned to do what musicians often call ‘improv’ or improvisation early in my teens, and by the time I was fourteen, I was writing songs. The music always came easier to me than the words...for someone who has become a writer, it’s always been odd to me that I have a hard time expressing my heart through lyrics. (The late Rich Mullins had a pretty big hand in helping me in that regard... that’s a whole nother story, though.) I don’t think it hit me until recently the huge blessing music really is, though, not to mention the blessing of the ability to write. I recognize that not everybody is gifted in that way...I do have a bit of a tendency to do what a lot of people do with their own giftings. “Why - it’s easy! Just do it. Just go out there and talk to people - they’ll get saved. Just go out there and pray for people - they’ll get healed. Just go out there and be hospitable...be merciful...hear what God has to say about people... it’s easy!” Easy if you have the gift, yes. A bit harder without. Maybe we should spend more time being thankful for the gifts we have - maybe we should not take them for granted. Certainly, I’m going to try to see music as the blessing it really is more than just something that comes so naturally I take it for granted!
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Sarah GraceHi! I'm Sarah Grace, and I'm so glad you stopped by the Wings of Heaven blog! You can find short posts for easy reading or longer, more in-depth musings! I hope you're blessed! Archives
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