Verse of the Day 7/28

Verse of the Day 7/28

Psalm 81:2-3 Raise a song; sound the tambourine,

    the sweet lyre with the harp.
³ Blow the trumpet at the new moon,
    at the full moon, on our feast day.  English Standard Version (ESV)

  Last week I read the following quote from one of my favorite Pastors and author A.W.Tozer.  I have been thinking about it since I read it and related it to several passages that I have read since then.  Tozer writes, "It is now common practice in most evangelical churches to offer the people, especially the young people, a maximum of entertainment and a minimum of serious instruction. It is scarcely possible in most places to get anyone to attend a meeting where the only attraction is God. One can only conclude that God's professed children are bored with Him, for they must be wooed to meeting with a stick of striped candy in the form of religious movies, games and refreshments."    In reading his statement, written over 50 years ago, it could be easily seen, played out in many churches across the country and beyond every week.  Some would point to modern, contemporary Christian music as a prominent component of this and see it as a big part of the problem.  Reading today's verses should help us use caution in trying to apply that. These verses mention the tambourine, the trumpet, and the lyre and harp, stringed instruments, which would be similar to our guitars.  The psalmist calls for a song to be raised.  I've yet to hear a quiet trumpet.    The key to this is how it relates to the service as a whole and especially the message.  Does it bring glory and honor to God? Does it give an application of the Word?  Is it about encouraging us, challenging us to believe, does it seek to bring about life change, does it carry a call to action?    I don't disagree with Tozer, at the same time I appreciate modern Christian music right alongside the old hymns, I also enjoy when they are intertwined.    A couple of times over the past month, as the message, the service was coming to a close a modern hymn came to mind that I thought would be the perfect application of what had just been preached, serious instruction from the word.  Most recently it was "The Voice of Truth".   The music may be loud but it can still speak to us as a "whisper from God" which calls us to "listen and believe" the voice of truth, God's word.  

I hear this most gentle whisper from One
I never guessed would speak to me  (v.5 The Message)

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

Psalm 81:2-5The Message (MSG)

An Asaph Psalm

81 ^1-5 A song to our strong God!
    a shout to the God of Jacob!
Anthems from the choir, music from the band,
    sweet sounds from lute and harp,
Trumpets and trombones and horns:
    it's festival day, a feast to God!
A day decreed by God,
    solemnly ordered by the God of Jacob.
He commanded Joseph to keep this day
    so we'd never forget what he did in Egypt.

I hear this most gentle whisper from One
I never guessed would speak to me: