Thoughts from Mark "Hat" Rackley

So what shall I do? I will pray with my spirit, but I will also pray with my understanding; I will sing with my spirit, but I will also sing with my understanding.

• 1 Corinthians 14:15

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

• Colossians 3:16

Sing to the Lord a new song;
    sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, praise his name;
    proclaim his salvation day after day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
    his marvelous deeds among all peoples.

• Psalm 96:1-3

“It is certain that the use of singing in churches (which I mention in passing) is not only very ancient, but was also used by the apostles as we may gather from the words of Paul.  In [1 Cor. 14:15], he enjoys us enjoins us to sing with the voice and the heart; in [Col. 3:16], he commends spiritual songs, by which the pious mutually edify each other.”

• John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, Volume 2

We see the birth of an order of worship in this part of Calvin’s institutes.

He has built a strong case for prayer.  Now he is building a case for music.  Then, the institutes dig into the Lord’s Prayer.

But here we reach a different audience in the congregation.  The congregation is always the group that worships.  They do not sit idly by.  But in too many cases, they only make a connection during the hymns.

Some people communicate in different ways.  Some people show emotion in different ways.  Some people sing.  Some people talk, and others may simply nod their heads.  But we need to express our emotions and our thoughts to God.

I have one son who plays in the church orchestra.  Two of his children also play in that orchestra.  It is their way of communicating with God what they might have difficulty in saying or writing.

And God likes music.  Why are some sounds noises while others are melodic?  God built that into us.

And music can express anything that prayer expresses.

In a way, when we lift our praises to God, we are praying. Prayer is adoration, confession, thanksgiving and supplication.  All those things can be done in song.

Let’s lift our hearts in song.  Whatever is on our heart, we can sing those thoughts to God.

If you like these Tuesday morning essays about philosophy and other “heavy topics,” but you think you missed a few, you can use this LINK. I have set up a page off the home page for links to these Tuesday morning posts. I will continue to modify the page as I add more.

Soli Deo Gloria.  Only to God be the Glory.