Making Melody
Introduction. In its day a player piano was an amazing feat of technology. A piece of paper with punched holes was placed inside a piano and a suction device allowed it to play the songs everyone wanted to hear. But this was only the beginning! Vinyl disks with a needle moving within a grove not only played the music but added the singer’s voice. Iron oxide sprayed on plastic tape and magnetized did all the above and allowed us to record our own melodies. Then this tape was enlarged and we could see those who were singing and playing. Today aluminum is placed on plastic disks and a laser reads the song (CD) or the movie (DVD). From holes in paper and bumps on vinyl to iron on plastic and pits on aluminum we can now see and hear any melody we desire.
Yet these are only feeble imitations of our own mind. The melodies in our heart go much deeper than simple music. Often when hearing an old song, special memories flood our mind as we relive that moment. In fact, the mind doesn’t even need the music, words are enough. Through the written word we ‘see’ any picture an author seeks to paint for us. If it is fiction, we enter the lives of characters and if a textbook, we relive an author’s experience or conclusions.
Making Melody in Our Heart. The greatest author is the Holy Spirit who wrote “the living and active word of God” which “performs its work in you who believe” (Heb 4:12; 1Th 2:13). As the rain on the soil creates the beauty of a flower, so the word creates beauty in our heart (Isa 55:10). God’s word creates faith, convicts of sin, brings remorse and repentance and “seasons of refreshing” (Acts 3:19). By reading His words, we gain hope and courage in the midst of trials, fan the flames of zeal, encourage and bring comfort to ourselves, and begin to see “the things which are not seen” (2Cor 4:18). In this way we create our own images (video) of the “unseen” things in eternity.
Let The Word Of Christ Dwell In You Richly. There are things we must do to record these beautiful spiritual videos. We have to “meditate on it day and night” (Josh 1:8). A blank DVD has nothing to watch or hear. In the same way, our minds cannot make a “recording” we can relive over and over again unless we meditate. In meditation we take the word of God and make it real to us. When reading the account of Jesus betrayal and crucifixion, meditation creates the images we “remember” during communion. These words dwell deeply within and play on our heart strings. They make beautiful melodies to please God, save souls, change hearts, alter decisions and touch lives.
The spiritual and emotional energy created by meditation led David to write his Psalms. As he was shepherding his sheep and pondering God’s word, he saw that the Lord was his shepherd which led him to write Psalms 23. In exactly the same way, all of our hymns and spiritual songs were written. Often even singing a song for the first time, we feel the emotions and memories felt by the author resonating and making melody within our own heart.
Just like that old player piano, we recognize the spiritual tune the author recorded in the song. As we sing, the melody of the song blends with the melody of the words creating spiritual beauty in our heart.
Singing To One Another. Just like the DVD that holds two distinct tracts playing at the same time (sound and images), this is how we sing! With one track we “speak one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” and with the other we “make melody with our heart to the Lord” (Eph 5:19; Col. 3:16). These two actions occur at the same time. We sing the tune, rhythm, and words with enthusiasm to one another and we also make spiritual and emotional melody with our heart to the Lord.
Thus the emotions and convictions created by the “living and active” word of God are played back when we sing. As we sing one to another, they resonate and strengthen their power to move us. When a song creates no response, it simply means we have not yet created that video and cannot yet make melody.
Every song has a visual image for our heart to replay. The “spiritual songs” exhort us to work and be faithful, to pray, repent or care about the lost. The “hymns” create praise, honor and adoration for God. They create a visual image of “how great thou art,” “praise God through whom all blessings flow,” and “count your blessings.” The “psalms” put to our own music the inspired songs recorded in the book of Psalms.
Conclusion. When we watch a DVD, we see a movie that creates emotion. We laugh at comedy, cry over tragedy, feel fear during suspense, and soar with enthusiasm when the hero conquers adversity and wins. Our songs do exactly the same thing. Each one is designed to create a wonderful spiritual melody that resonates in our heart as we sing, creating wholesome and uplifting thoughts.
When the word of Christ dwells richly within our heart, the perfect harmony of Scripture blends with beautiful melodies of emotion helping to stimulate us to love and good works.
Yet these are only feeble imitations of our own mind. The melodies in our heart go much deeper than simple music. Often when hearing an old song, special memories flood our mind as we relive that moment. In fact, the mind doesn’t even need the music, words are enough. Through the written word we ‘see’ any picture an author seeks to paint for us. If it is fiction, we enter the lives of characters and if a textbook, we relive an author’s experience or conclusions.
Making Melody in Our Heart. The greatest author is the Holy Spirit who wrote “the living and active word of God” which “performs its work in you who believe” (Heb 4:12; 1Th 2:13). As the rain on the soil creates the beauty of a flower, so the word creates beauty in our heart (Isa 55:10). God’s word creates faith, convicts of sin, brings remorse and repentance and “seasons of refreshing” (Acts 3:19). By reading His words, we gain hope and courage in the midst of trials, fan the flames of zeal, encourage and bring comfort to ourselves, and begin to see “the things which are not seen” (2Cor 4:18). In this way we create our own images (video) of the “unseen” things in eternity.
Let The Word Of Christ Dwell In You Richly. There are things we must do to record these beautiful spiritual videos. We have to “meditate on it day and night” (Josh 1:8). A blank DVD has nothing to watch or hear. In the same way, our minds cannot make a “recording” we can relive over and over again unless we meditate. In meditation we take the word of God and make it real to us. When reading the account of Jesus betrayal and crucifixion, meditation creates the images we “remember” during communion. These words dwell deeply within and play on our heart strings. They make beautiful melodies to please God, save souls, change hearts, alter decisions and touch lives.
The spiritual and emotional energy created by meditation led David to write his Psalms. As he was shepherding his sheep and pondering God’s word, he saw that the Lord was his shepherd which led him to write Psalms 23. In exactly the same way, all of our hymns and spiritual songs were written. Often even singing a song for the first time, we feel the emotions and memories felt by the author resonating and making melody within our own heart.
Just like that old player piano, we recognize the spiritual tune the author recorded in the song. As we sing, the melody of the song blends with the melody of the words creating spiritual beauty in our heart.
Singing To One Another. Just like the DVD that holds two distinct tracts playing at the same time (sound and images), this is how we sing! With one track we “speak one to another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” and with the other we “make melody with our heart to the Lord” (Eph 5:19; Col. 3:16). These two actions occur at the same time. We sing the tune, rhythm, and words with enthusiasm to one another and we also make spiritual and emotional melody with our heart to the Lord.
Thus the emotions and convictions created by the “living and active” word of God are played back when we sing. As we sing one to another, they resonate and strengthen their power to move us. When a song creates no response, it simply means we have not yet created that video and cannot yet make melody.
Every song has a visual image for our heart to replay. The “spiritual songs” exhort us to work and be faithful, to pray, repent or care about the lost. The “hymns” create praise, honor and adoration for God. They create a visual image of “how great thou art,” “praise God through whom all blessings flow,” and “count your blessings.” The “psalms” put to our own music the inspired songs recorded in the book of Psalms.
Conclusion. When we watch a DVD, we see a movie that creates emotion. We laugh at comedy, cry over tragedy, feel fear during suspense, and soar with enthusiasm when the hero conquers adversity and wins. Our songs do exactly the same thing. Each one is designed to create a wonderful spiritual melody that resonates in our heart as we sing, creating wholesome and uplifting thoughts.
When the word of Christ dwells richly within our heart, the perfect harmony of Scripture blends with beautiful melodies of emotion helping to stimulate us to love and good works.