My Favorite Artist, SRV
Go to my Facebook page, look at my musical “likes,” and you’ll see that I’m a fan of alternative, blues-rock. Yes, I’m a child of the 70’s and I like my classic rock, but when it comes to musical styles my favorite is greasy, electric guitar-driven, Texas blues. However, I’m pretty eclectic in my musical tastes. I enjoy listening to lots of different kinds of music: jazz (upbeat…and NOT experimental), country (my Texas roots are showing), and classical (in the truest sense of that word) all make my weekly play list. What are you listening to?
Over the next few months, we’re all going to be listening to a variety of “songs of faith” selected from the Psalms, that collection of Hebrew poem-songs that has served as the worship book for God’s people for millennia. Talk about eclectic! The Psalms give expression to faith from every different angle—praise, doubt, thanksgiving, anger, pleading, celebrating, and more. By listening to the songs of faith, we will be challenged to grow larger in faith, stronger in virtues, deeper in prayer, and broader in praise.
My Favorite Book, Bible in Hebrew
But you’ll have to tune in! Pick up your Bible and use the Psalms as a guide for your devotional reading and prayer. Systematically read through the Psalms as a supplement to your daily time alone with God…maybe during lunch or perhaps just before you go to bed. Let the poetry draw you into an experience of God’s presence in all its fullness as the Holy Spirit brings life into your heart through these inspired songs. Join the Psalmist in praise, thanksgiving, lament, and celebration. Let God convict you of the need for confession and righteousness. Let the music speak to your spirit and catch you up in a relationship with the one who inspired these words.
Click here to see one online resource–sent to me by a friend from church–for looking at these Hebrew poems: hebrew4christians.
Yes, I enjoy listening to music. I often have background music playing throughout the day. But the most important music to listen to is the song sung by the author of these songs of faith. Join me in the journey of deepening our relationships with our God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, as we listen to the Holy Spirit through these Psalms.
Singing the songs,
Scott Corwin, Ph.D., Pastor
P.S. Do you have a testimony about a song of faith that has inspired your journey of following Jesus? If so, let me know. We want to hear these stories during Sunday worship.
P.P.S. Please, return the NCD surveys distributed at the church business meeting this coming Sunday!