A lovely song that isn't heard.

 

 

For those of you new to reading my writings, hello. I hope I don't scare you away with my sporadic thoughts and my frequent nudge to live a holy life. It isn't the most popular Christian blog, I know. But, I am not sitting here pounding away on my keyboard, spending time in prayer before, during and after I write a new entry, just to be "popular" or "known." I could care less if I get any glory from writing, because for one, that is wrong. It is God in me doing the writing. And secondly, what I have to say will only be accepted by a small fraction of people. It may only be accepted by a fraction of Christians! So, if you are new to following my blog, or if you have stuck in there with me for the past year nearly, thank you for the time and thank you for wanting to read what a twenty-four year old woman would have to say.

 

This past week I came across two separate passages that I have never seemed to have read before. As I read them, I felt a little guilt, a little frustration, and a lot of peace. Let's start in Ezekiel. The 33rd chapter. Half way into the 31st verse.

 

for with their mouth they will shew much love, but their heart goeth after their covetousness. And, lo, thou art unto them as a very lovely song of one that hath a pleasant voice, and can play well on an instrument: for they hear thy words, but they do them not.

 

Wow. Wow. Wow. and Ouch.

 

For with their mouth they will show much love, but their heart goes after their covetousness.

 

That is the killer. Any Christian would and should be convicted when reading that.

 

How often we (I) will praise the Lord with our mouths. Shout His praises in church, Amen the preacher, "That's right!", "Preach it!", "Com'on!". We have heard them all, or said them all. But when we leave the church, that night or the next day, or the next month, do we back up and live exactly what that preacher was even preaching?? I have heard it said that the dog who got hit with the rock is the one who barks. In other words, when someone is saying, "Amen!!" when the preacher is talking about how you shouldn't listen to secular music, (country included), there is a chance they are convicted and just saying "Amen" out of guilt or wanting to hide their own sin.

 

Now, don't worry. I know that not everyone is that way. I say "Amen" big time when they start talking about drinking and cussing. And I don't do either! I hate both! What I'm trying to help you understand though, is that you need to really think about what the preacher is preaching and examine your own life and make sure you believe and live according to what he is saying before you go off shouting down the house.

 

I had a friend who said she loved God. She went to church. She was in my eyes, a good Christian girl. Well, one day we went out to eat, and when I started praying over our food, she acted embarrassed and kept looking around at others to see if they were watching us.

 

That is her heart going after covetousness. Not after God.

 

Being embarrassed to pray in public is a whole different subject though.

 

The following verse speaks to you singers and musicians. I am neither. I took a few lessons on five instruments. Fiddle. Drums. Piano. Trumpet. Guitar. I wasn't too shabby on them all, but I never stuck with it. I wouldn't mind picking up one of them again one day. But, to say the least, I am no singer nor musician.

 

I feel that this verse warns those who can sing and play. Many people come to hear you for entertainment. They enjoy church for that reason. They don't take any of it to heart though. Don't let people's love for entertainment drive you to wanting a better voice so you can wow more people. So you can be seen by others. So you can be somebody. That isn't what praise and worship is. I don't care if it's my husband singing (I think he's the best ever!) or if it is someone who can't even stay on key for two seconds, I listen to the words, not the notes. You should too.

 

 

Now, let's go to Amos 5:23.

 

Take thou away from me the noise of thy songs; for I will not hear the melody of thy viols.

 

Viols means harps.

 

I was amazed when I found this verse. It went hand in hand with the passage in Ezekiel. Again, you musicians better beware. You singers. You song writers. You in the sound room. People come to the House of God to worship, not to dance and be entertained. That is sin. It's wrong. The lights, the jumping, the craziness. It is all a little too modern for me. Maybe I am just an old soul, as my friend Crosby once told me. I took that as an absolute compliment, by the way. Things are too modern for me sometimes. I wish we could even get by without cell phones and computers. I know we could, because my parents did at my age, but I feel that life is so fast paced and we make it worse on ourselves by having so many distractions.

 

Don't let anything keep you out of the Word. Don't let anyone keep you distracted so much that you forget to read that day. Don't let people being hypocrites at church keep you from going. They are everywhere. They are at every church and every job and in every family. Just don't be one.

 

I want to sum this up with a prayer.

 

Father of Heaven and Earth,

I am sorry. I am sorry for being a hypocrite. I am sorry for judging others when it not only isn't my place to do so, but I don't have everything right myself. Please forgive me for doing that. Help me to praise and worship you in TRUTH and in SPIRIT. Allow me to listen to the words of songs, rather than paying attention to the person singing it. Help me to uplift others and to not make fun. I want to be like You, Lord. I am human, but with You in me, I can move mountains. Let Your love replenish my soul and calm my mind. Take away any fear and anxiety from me. In Jesus Name.

Amen.