Optimist’s Roundtable
By Martha Sykes
A recent survey has found that music is beneficial to our health. There is something about music that can captivate a person. For me, I love music especially at this time of year. I start playing my Christmas CDs right after Thanksgiving because I love Christmas songs.
David’s music in the Psalms has been entertaining people for years. There is something about music throughout a lot of the Scriptures.
In II Chronicles 5:13-14, it tells us that “ The trumpeters and musicians joined in unison to give praise and thanks to the Lord. Accompanied by trumpets, cymbals and other instruments, the singers raised their voices in praise to the Lord and sang: He is good; His love endures forever”.
Ephesians 5:19 says, “Speak to one another with Psalms, hymns, and songs from the spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.” I recently read where the word psalm means a song accompanied with music.
In Colossians 3:16, we read “ 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.“
We are told over and over again in the scripture to lift up our voice and to make music gone to the Lord and both the Old and the New Testaments. Music it’s so important that we are told and God’s Holy Word to include it in our worship and praise.
One of the great things about music and worship is that we don’t have to be in church to do that. We can praise God and worship him whether we are home, or in our car, or out in the mountains or any place we are. Some of my greatest moments of praising God have been at church camp!! It is when we are with fellow believers in church, though, that it can become the most powerful praise to experience in our spiritual journey.
Listening to music is good for our souls and gives us a break from the chaos and evil around us. I have mentioned many times the Christian radio station I listen to( Family Life Network) , but I sincerely believe that the messages of the various Christian artists and the programs I hear every day have kept my spirits lifted and have provided a positive outlook on life through some tough times. God speaks to us in many ways and music is one way for me.
Enjoy the music of this beautiful season of Christmas and I hope you all will be blessed in some way through praising God for His son Jesus.
