At a Recent Marsh service and Bach Sunday, I heard a beautiful prayer thanking God for the gift of prayer and for music when words aren’t enough. I always knew music was an important part of praying and have even been told that singing is praying twice (whatever that means). I interpret that as meaning that in just one song so much emotion, passion, struggle, joy, praise etc. can be shared that it’s the equivalent to two prayers. Sounds about right. I always felt closest to God when I was singing because it lifted my soul up in a way that spoken words couldn’t. Whenever I hear beautiful music I get chills that spread from my cheeks to my toes and a warmness that seeps from my heart. Sometimes, when I’m sitting at a musical performance, I like to imagine myself watching from God’s point of view and seeing so much talent and joy and hearing the perfection in the notes and just being so moved by the beauty of God’s creation. I can’t even begin to imagine what God must feel but I can make a good guess: Unconditional love that reaches widths, and depths and heights of which we could never wrap our minds around.
This past weekend my girlfriend and I went to NYC to see a famous pianist and composer by the name of Ludovico Einaudi. This guy was amazing. I have never ever in my life heard such beautiful, passionate music that told stories without words. I’m not one to cry, but this show had me in tears by the overwhelming emotion each song carried. It’s been a while since I’ve felt the Holy Spirit moving, but that night, it danced. I was in awe of the workings of the Spirit and the manifest glory of God. I’ve been feeling distant lately and that concert was a breathtaking reminder of God’s presence. Music speaks when words can’t and as a gift to us from God, it’s a perfect gift to give back for the glory and honor of God.