Hearing the Music

Mercies Along the Way

From various perspectives, life is a journey. We move from one place to another; we grow from one stage to another. Regardless of the shape, direction, or duration of our journey, we need to remember that “here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come” (Hebrews 13:14). In Christ, we all walk together “looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God” (11:10).
 
As part of our journey to the eternal city, my family and I have moved many times due to my calling as a pastor and church planter. Seventeen months and one week ago, we moved again, this time from Tegucigalpa, Honduras, to Grand Rapids so that I could pursue theological studies at the Puritan Reformed Theological Seminary (PRTS) and, Lord willing, establish a Reformed theological seminary for Central America.
 
As you can imagine, this move brought significant changes for us—not just a new city but a new country, climate, language, and culture. Lucas and Manuel had never been to school before. Lucas came without knowing a word of English. On his first day of school, he asked if we would come back to pick him up at some point. And Manuel faced some challenges adjusting to some aspects of the culture at school. These situations gave us new opportunities for conversations under the light of God’s Word that we had not had before with them.
 
Amid these changes and challenges, we rejoiced in one of the prayers God answered when we arrived: finding a church that we would love and where we would feel loved. Christ Church, you have been a blessing to us; you have been our family. Ely’s closest friends in Grand Rapids are from church, and the number continues to grow. Manuel enjoys spending time with the other teenagers and getting involved in church activities. Lucas looks forward to his Sunday class and playing with his friends in the church playground. We’ve loved visiting several of your homes and having some of you visiting our apartment. We’ve shared prayer requests and prayed for each other, and we’ve been welcomed and tried to welcome others as well. We’ve laughed and cried together in several situations. Home is where family is. And you have made us feel at home.
 
So many mercies in this journey, and even unexpectedly mild Michigan winters! Yet perhaps the greatest blessing has been seeing how God weaves our individual journeys into His larger story.
 
In this season of Advent, let us pause and reflect on the journey of our Lord Jesus. This Sunday, let us worship together the triune God as we meditate on the baptism of the Son (Mark 1:9-11), to whom the Father said, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” What a comfort to know that we follow the One who, through His obedient life, sacrificial death, and victorious resurrection, perfectly pleased the Father on our behalf.
 
Rejoice!

Beautiful

Art begins with noticing. Perhaps the colors of the leaves catch your eye, as they vary their glow from tree to tree, their intensity changing with the weather, and with the light. Maybe you catch the scent of the outdoor air when your children come indoors, or notice the frosty crisp smell of hunting season. The wrinkles in a face you hold dear, the sound of a beloved voice, the roughness of firewood, the bracing cold of a fall breeze, all of these things and many more create a vision of the beautiful, the sense of loveliness, a recognition of the things created that God called good. A true student studies this vision, pursues it, and eliminates anything that would detract from its beauty.

I admit that at first I did not see any connection between Art and the passage being preached this coming Sunday. But truly, both art and II Timothy 2:22-26 are about seeing a vision of the Good, a vision of the Good news that can re-shape our perspective of how the Christian sees himself, and of how he views those who do not know the Gospel.

Paul not only gives Timothy a vision for his own life, through righteousness, faith, love and peace, but also a vision for life in community with the saints. When these beautiful traits characterize the palette of a healthy believer, the power of God works through them to lead others to the truth. Could there be a more beautiful expression of the Good News? 

Music, a Foretaste of Heaven

Music is a universal language. It has the unique ability to reach our hearts, cutting through language barriers and misunderstandings in a way that words often can’t. This never fails to amaze me.

It's not just the poetry, notes, or rhythm alone that create the "soul" of a song or the connection we feel when we hear it. There is some other quality in the composition of those things that makes music special. I believe that’s why music is such a central part of our worship. It touches something deep within us, while also creating a bond between us. There’s something ineffable about the beauty of music that draws us in and moves us in ways few other things can.

I grew up in a musical family, though I never excelled at learning piano. Later, during a stressful time in college, I found that playing music brought me peace when I needed it most. Eventually, I stepped into a leadership role in dorm worship, picking up guitar and learning as I went.

Susan found out that I could play guitar and has been an amazing musical influence. Bek often talks about how connecting with Susan and playing music was one of the first ways she felt connected at Christ Church. Playing at Christ Church has led to many of our best musical memories and it is one of our favorite ways to serve our church family.

I sometimes can feel nervous or inadequate when it comes to my musicianship. I worry about stumbling over notes or being out of sync with the others I’m playing with. My wife (who has impeccable rhythm) and many of my friends and family are far more accomplished musicians with a deeper technical knowledge than I have. Also, our church is filled with incredibly talented people! Sometimes I catch myself thinking, "Can I really keep up with all of this?"

I find encouragement in our passage from 2 Timothy 1:3-11 this week. Paul urges Timothy not to be timid, but to trust in the power, love, and self-discipline that come from Christ. He reminds us to "fan into flame" the gifts we’ve been given. That means my skill level on the guitar isn’t the focus—it’s not about playing perfectly. Whatever talent we bring to worship, it is good and right that we bring it to worship! The purpose is Christ. Worship comes from the joy of the good news, and that’s what pushes us to praise.

It's only right that we use music in worship. That indescribable "something" that makes music so powerful—connecting us physically, emotionally, and spiritually—is a perfect way to offer praise to God. While I believe all music and art can be forms of praise, there’s something special about worshiping together, no matter the instrument or skill level. It gives us a glimpse of what’s to come. When Christ gathers us to Himself, we will have been made perfect to continue to worship and glorify the Lord.

Photo by John Hult on Unsplash