Paul the apostle told the
Ephesian church members not to be “drunk with wine, wherein is
excess”, and he exhorted them to “be filled with the
Spirit”. In chapter five and verse nineteen of his letter, Paul
continued his instructions by telling the Ephesians to use “psalms,
hymns and spiritual songs” to “sing and make melody in
their hearts” where we read:
Speaking
to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs,
singing
and making melody in your heart to the Lord;
The
verse begins, “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns
and spiritual songs,...” Paul
began with the word, “Speaking”
which means “utter a voice or emit a sound to declare one's mind
and disclose one's thoughts” “to yourselves”
which refers to the Ephesian church members “in psalms”
or “striking or
twanging of chords of a musical instrument; a pious song”
“and hymns” which
refers to “a song in tithe praise of gods, heroes and conquerors or
a sacred song” “and spiritual songs”
or “lay, odes or chants relating to the human spirit, or
rational soul as part of the man which is akin to God and serves as
his instrument or organ”. The
Ephesians were to use “the twanging of musical instruments or pious
songs”, “praise songs” and “songs that related to their
“human spirits”.
The
verse goes on to say, “...singing and making melody in
your heart to the Lord;” Paul
continued, “singing”
which means “a chant or praise of anyone” “and making
melody” or “plucking or
pulling out, causing to vibrate by touching or to twang the strings
of a musical instrument so that they gently vibrate” “in
your heart” which means “the
center of all physical and spiritual life”
“to the Lord” who
is “the anointed One, the Messiah and the Son of God”. In
addition to the musical instruments, “pious songs and songs of the
human spirit”, the Ephesians were to be “singing”
while strumming their “heart
strings” for Jesus who is the Son of God.
When
we think through these words of Paul, we should be inspired to use
“music” to give praise and honor to God Almighty and His Son
Jesus. Paul's idea is to use all kinds of “spiritual”
means to express the “melody” of our “hearts” to
God. We have the privilege of using our voices and sounds to honor
God, and as we do, He will be awarded the praise that He so deserves.
Next
time Paul shares about “giving thanks for all things”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, and the new devotional “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
No comments:
Post a Comment