August 9

The Power of Music

I recently experienced a renewed sense of the power of music. I was at a crab feast and there was a live band. I went with my husband’s family and one of his in-laws has Alzheimers. I have seen him at several family functions over the past few months and he has been distant and sometimes angry and inappropriate. But today with the band playing, I saw him smiling, clapping his hands, singing and dancing with his wife.  I also recently got to hear a 90 year old mother play a duet of Silent Night on the piano with her daughter on the organ. They were both playing without written music in front of them. The mother said that she couldn't see the notes on the paper anymore , but her fingers remembered the notes on the piano. I have known the power of music since I was very young, but now I have seen it with fresh eyes. Both of these experiences were beautiful and made me cry and thank God for music. When I hear music, I have no doubt that it was created by God and is a gift to humankind. Perhaps that is why there is so much music in both the sacred and secular worlds. It is a universal form of communication. It can bring peace, reduce stress, soothe a baby’s cry, and reach far into someone’s mind who can’t remember their wife’s name, but can remember a tune and/or the words of a song. There are hymns that I sing now as an adult that I remember singing the 1st and last verse of as a young child in Sunday School and I embrace the comfort and familiarity .  There are many references to music throughout the Bible. Music can draw us closer to God. I have heard people say many times that a song or a hymn has brought them to tears.  Music touches us deep within our soul and I think that was exactly God’s intention. 

Music washes from the soul the dust of everyday life - Unknown

Sing songs to the tune of his glory, set glory to the rhythms of his praise. Psalm 66:2


Gracious Father, Thank You for Your gift of Music. Thank You that it touches our souls in ways that we cannot even put into words. Amen.