I've been thinking about music...

For: The Institute of Contemporary and Emerging Worship Studies, St. Stephen's University, Essentials Red Online Worship History Course with Dan Wilt.


"If you had to be either blind or deaf, which would you choose?"

I know that my heart is moved when I hear a choir singing in a cathedral...
At the sound of an orchestra...
And fine opera...
At a pure voice singing an Irish lullaby with a concertina...
The sweet sound of a hammered dulcimer resonating in open space..

I am also nearly brought to tears at the sight of a red and purple sky in the morning...
The moon sparkling on the ocean...
Snow-peaked mountains...

All these things are capable of drawing my spirit heavenward. And yet I know that were I required to choose, I would retain my hearing. For there is nothing that moves me more than music.


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I’ve been having a really hard time with words lately. I feel as though we have exhausted the English language. There just doesn’t seem to be enough words to express all the things I want to express. I’ve been struggling lately to write because I feel like we’ve used up all the words, and they don’t even mean anything anymore. And when I do come up with lyrics, it isn’t anything new or fresh - it’s just muscle memory in my mouth.

Father, I need new words.

I know that God has given me a new language, but it’s not of much use when I’m trying to explain things to other people. I want to be able to express beauty and wonder in such a way that icy hearts melt and turn to Father in repentance.

I recognize the power that music has to unleash our hearts. I know that it is able to bypass our minds,(1) but I’m not sure I want to pass by brains. I want to engage them, too. But is it better to have hearts unleashed while brains are held captive and hope that their heart’s freedom will somehow find its way to the mind? Is it even wise to unleash the heart without an understanding of its capacity? Not that I actually have any control over other peoples’ hearts, but I acknowledge that Father works through my music. I trust that He is in control of both the heart and the mind’s freedom.

At the same time, I know that He has given us power and authority to bring Truth and Freedom. Therefore, I do not want to ignore the mind in favour of the heart. While music may be my first worship language, I wish to be more disciplined in exploring the other languages so as to ensure that I have a more holistic view and experience of worship - without which I would not be able to lead others in worship.

Father, thank You so much for the gift of music, and how it is able to pierce our hearts even when we are guarded. I also know that it has great capacity to manipulate as well. Please, give us wisdom as we lead Your people in worship. Protect us from worshiping the music that was written to worship You. Help us to use the gift of art to its fullest potential, all for Your glory. Open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise. In Jesus' name. Amen.



(1) Wilt, Dan. Essentials in Worship History: The Language of Music. (St. Stephen, NB: St. Stephen’s University, 2008.) 4.