Music and Worship

On Monday March 26, 2012 I stood in Felix Event Center with my arms raised in the air as Emmy sang "I will carry your name, carry your name, Jesus your name forever." It was then that I realized that music is definitely my greatest form of worship. There's something about singing the words instead of hearing or saying them that makes it so much more powerful to me. As I thought about this, I realized that in the moments where I felt that God was most present,  music was always there. Avalon's "Everything to Me" was there when I made profession of faith. Balmorhea's "Truth" was there when I marveled at God's amazing world and the places he creates for us. Kari Jobe's "Sweep Me Away" was there in one of my lowest moments when the devil had his grasp on me. Music will continue to follow me. Sigur Rós's "Ára Bátur" will follow me down the aisle at my wedding, and the "Ashokan Farewell" will hopefully be played as they lower my body into the ground. Whether I am hurt, angry, sad, joyful, broken, whole, filled, or empty it is there. It is in this place, this musical catharsis, that God has revealed Himself to me. Some of my music is associated with Christian ideas and has lyrics, but a lot does not. In my life, instrumental music has created encounters with God that are unmatched by any other kind of music. There's something about listening to the build up of a song as instruments are added and a steady beat is formed, that also builds up an emotional wave starting from the tips of my toes and flowing into my heart.   I am a firm believer in the fact that God works through humanity to create divine experience. It can be through worship, classical, gospel, baroque, or chant, but I believe this is what He was doing when He created music.