Liebesleid

“...be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” Ephesians 5:18-20

Of the many gifts given to mankind, the ability to create is arguably one of the most beautiful. Music, among the panoply of these, can be evocative, inspirational, comforting or driving to multitudinous ends. For example, classical music has been repeatedly shown to have positive effects not only upon adults, children and babies within the womb, but also with animals and even plants. Multiple examples have even shown a marked decrease in crime when it is played aloud in public areas.

Just as some of the world’s most beautiful, seminal and enduring works of art and literature have been borne of an inveterate desire to glorify God and His love for us, many of our most renowned composers have done so not only for the sake of their art, but from how they lived out their faith in all aspects.

Johann Sebastian Bach, known by many as “The 5th Evangelist” in his time, considered himself to be a Christian and theologian first, a composer second. Assiduously poring over Martin Luther’s three volume translation of the Bible into German, his foremost desire was to promulgate the Gospel and God’s glory, even signing most of his compositions with his name and S.D.G.: Soli Deo Gloria-To God Alone Be the Glory.

Haydn similarly appended his works with Laus Deo – Praise Be to God. Handel’s desire was to communicate God’s Word through music, while giving much of his earnings and support to orphanages. Vivaldi was an ordained priest who later took a position at Venice’s Ospedale della Pieta, an orphanage, where he composed his most famous works and was much sought-after in all of Europe with his orchestra and choir comprised solely of orphaned girls. And with respect to the Bible, aside from the many references to praising God via music by us here on earth and by the angels in heaven, it is no accident that the Psalms are primarily meant to be sung.

Even for those of us not so artistically blessed, our appreciation of such mellifluous works in His Name and Word is no less diminished by our lack but we can instead recognize a deeper part of us that not only conveys our love for our Creator and our need for Him, but also impels us to follow the narrow path that He has set before us.

“...whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.” By the sacrifice of Christ Jesus and His redemption of our sins, we have been given new life.

Our lives are a gift and not meant to be lived for ourselves. God grant that we may praise Him with all that we say and do not only in service to others but in faithfulness to Him.