Pray As You Go

On the right side of this blog, you'll notice I have included lists of films, books, music and websites that have left an indelible mark on my soul, helped cultivate my love for the arts and encouraged me to think and feel more deeply about my faith in Christ.

I hope to take some time and give further insight to my selections but, for now, I wanted to share with you a web resource (found under the "Meditation" header) which my good friend Keith Scherer recommended to me this past summer and has been a tremendous encouragement in prayer over the past 4 months.

If you click on the banner you'll find an excellent resource for meditative prayer using music and Scripture which is provided by the Jesuits in Britain. The great thing is, you can podcast or download an entire week's worth of prayer and take it with you wherever you go.

Here's a description of the podcast...

Each file (one for each day of the work week) is about 10-13 minutes long. It begins with bells as a call to prayer and then moves to an appropriate piece of music to begin to focus on God. After a time a Scripture is read followed (with space) by questions for meditation. The Scripture is read a second time followed by further questions. Finally, after more space the prayer concludes with the Gloria Patri.

Some days are better than others but one of the things I appreciate most about Pray As You Go is that it gives some direction to my prayer times which is especially helpful during seasons when I'm not quite sure what to pray. I also enjoy the opportunity it provides to be still in the Word even in the midst of a crazy day. Here are a couple of sample posts that I have found particularly helpful just in the last few weeks.

10.07.2008 - reflection on distraction and worry

10.13.2008 - reflection on prayer

Listen...be still...and enjoy.

Morning Addendum:

Every now and then Pray As You Go will use music from a contemporary band for the meditation. Sometimes it works and and sometimes it doesn't. Usually, those are the podcasts that I personally don't find as satisfying as others. All that said, I find it ironic that the day I encourage you to check out this resource is a day that a somewhat mediocre rock song is used. So, at least for this morning, try one of the samples that I posted above as I think it's a better entré into the series.

My Soul Finds Rest (Psalm 62)

Last week, I heard a song on Bob Kauflin's blog, Worship Matters, that I think encapsulates the power of music when combined with the Word. My Soul Finds Rest (Psalm 62) was written by Stuart Townend (In Christ Alone, How Deep the Father's Love For Us) and Aaron Keyes. I was so moved by the song that I wanted to share it with you.



Here are a couple of things that I like about the song.

Take a look at the lyrics here. I think you'll find that they are an excellent interpretation of Psalm 62 and are artistically instructive as to where to fix our eyes in the midst of trial and temptation. In his blog, Kauflin describes the song as a Psalm seen through the lens of what Christ has done in the New Testament.

The following stanza is particularly poetic...

Though riches come and riches go,
don't set your heart upon them;
the fields of hope in which I sow
are harvested in heaven.

...and encourages the struggling soul to persevere in seeking the future grace of a life lived for Christ.

I like how the bridge affirms our Christian heritage by incorporating the chorus to the hymn All Creatures of Our God and King (lyrics 1225, melody 1623). Even though we are singing a new song, the bridge reminds us that generations upon generations have sung praises remembering God's faithfulness through the ages.

Musically, I think the melody is very compelling and plants itself in the heart of the listener making it easy to recall the truth of the lyrics. I also like, as Kauflin points out, how the verse is in 5/4, which is an interesting time signature for a corporate worship song; yet, the melody is still sing-able even for the untrained musician.

Take some time now, maybe stop what you're doing and listen again without any distractions. Read the lyrics as you listen and let the Word of God dwell in richly through the song. I hope you like it as much as I do.

Martin Luther and the Gift of Music, Part 2

A couple of days ago, I posted a quote from Martin Luther on The Gift of Music. What I like most about this quote, aside from the humor of the ill wishes that he places upon the unappreciative listeners ears, is Luther's passion for the multi-faceted gift of music. God, The Giver, in His grace and compassion has given us a precious gift because...

Music is not only created by God but also, in the making of music, allows His creation to reflect His creativity.

Music when joined together with His Word, can awaken our souls to the truth of the Gospel and encourage us in our faith. There have been countless times where I find myself singing songs like The Lord Is and Before the Throne to remind myself of God’s faithfulness and Christ’s sufficiency when I am struggling with unbelief and sin.

Music can give expression to an incredible range of human experience and emotion while helping us remember how God, in Christ, the Man of Sorrows, stepped into that experience with us meeting all of our needs in His death and resurrection. Luther himself says…

For God has cheered our hearts and minds through His dear Son, whom He gave for us to redeem us from sin, death and the devil. He who believes this earnestly cannot be quiet about it. But he must gladly and willingly sing.

Another thing I like about Luther's quote is that his delight lies first in God (as well as a right understanding of all He is for us in Christ) and then in music. God has given music to us for His glory. I think it is very important to understand the distinction of music being a gift lest we fall into an idolatry of music itself. If we find ourselves unable to engage our hearts with God unless there is music (or even a preferred music style) then we are replacing the gift with the giver. Harold Best tells us, "it is only when being moved by music is coupled to a preceding passion for God that we are truly moved."

Martin Luther and the Gift of Music, Part 1

Martin Luther had a deep love of music and was one of the greatest proponents of congregational music within the church during the Protestant Reformation. Luther believed that music was a unique and powerful instrument for preaching the Gospel because theology could easily be communicated (and remembered) through sung text. He saw music as a vital ingredient of the Christ Follower's life and encouraged congregations to actively participate in the music of the services.

Luther also thought music was a "beautiful and glorious gift of God and second only to theology." Recently, I was reminded of a quote of his regarding the gift of music when I read the Between Two Worlds blog. Below is an extended version of the quote.

I truly desire that all Christians would love and regard as worthy the lovely gift of music, which is a precious, worthy, and costly treasure given to mankind by God...

This precious gift has been given to man alone that he might thereby remind himself that God has created man for the express purpose of praising and extolling God.

However, when man's natural musical ability is whetted and polished to the extent that it becomes an art, then do we note with great surprise the great and perfect wisdom of God in music, which is, after all, His product and His gift; we marvel when we hear music in which one voice sings a simple melody, while three, four, or five other voices play and trip lustily around the voice that sings its simple melody and adorn this simple melody wonderfully with artistic musical effects, thus reminding us of a heavenly dance, where all meet in a spirit of friendliness, caress and embrace. A person who gives this some thought and yet does not regard music as a marvelous creation of God, must be a clodhopper indeed and does not deserve to be called a human being; he should be permitted to hear nothing but the braying of asses and the grunting of hogs.

(Martin Luther, 1538, in his foreword to a collection of chorale motets)

Born in Song

I was recently encouraged to start a blog for members of The Crossing's fine arts team. Natually, I wanted to think about this request and consider what the blog would/could be like. A month or two passed and it dawned on me that my personality is one that could spend more time thinking about doing something rather than actually doing it. Now seemed like as good a time as any to start blogging.

My purpose is to post some thoughts, quotes and links on the subject of music, faith and the arts that help us think through the way they (and we) are used for the authentic worship life of the gathered community of God. I also hope to include some posts that encourage, enlighten and perhaps even enthrall us as we pursue the process of becoming more and more dependent on Jesus Christ.

The title of the blog comes from a quote in John Piper's sermon, Singing and Making Melody to the Lord. Piper tells us that the Christian church was "born in song" and singing is an essential part of a life of faith.

Music and singing are necessary to Christian faith and worship for the simple reason that the realities of God and Christ, creation and salvation, heaven and hell are so great that when they are known truly and felt duly, they demand more than discussion and analysis and description; they demand poetry and song and music. Singing is the Christian's way of saying: God is so great that thinking will not suffice, there must be deep feeling; and talking will not suffice, there must be singing.

Piper goes on to unpack Ephesians 5:17-20 giving 6 statements on what the passage has to say about corporate worship. Go and read the whole sermon. It's a great reminder of the importance of singing and music in the life of church and the Christ follower. You'll find the link to the text in sermon title above.