Why singing and music?

January 12th, 2024 – Communion Meditation

Like many of you, I love music! Music has always occupied a very prominent place in my life: singing at home, in church, at school; practicing recorder, piano, cello, guitar; taping songs off the radio to sing along with; playing in orchestras, musicals, choirs, competitions, busking on the streets! I learned very early in life that making music with and for others exponentially increases my joy and the joy of many others, a true delight.

Scripture mentions singing and musical instruments hundreds and hundreds of times. God gives us at least 50 direct commands to sing! Even so, why do we incorporate singing and music in our worship services? There are at least three good reasons: We sing and make music to exalt and embrace God. We sing and make music to encourage and exhort one another in the body of Christ. We sing and make music to echo and emulate God’s love in the world.

Singing and music are divine gifts that create a sacred space in which we can engage with God and with one another to rejoice and celebrate together, and to grieve and mourn together. As with all of God’s good gifts, they are freely offered to us, not forcefully foisted upon us. Our musical talents or lack thereof have nothing to do with our ability to receive or participate in singing and music. These are gifts from God for all!

In a moment we will commune with the crucified and living Christ through the eating of the bread and the drinking of the cup. Jesus makes himself present with us right here, right now, by the power of the Holy Spirit. As we partake of the Communion elements today, I want to invite each of us to more gratefully receive and more passionately participate in these good gifts of singing and music with and for God, with and for one another, and with and for the world. For the greater glory of God and the good of people!

At the Last Supper, Jesus took a loaf of bread, and after blessing it he broke it, gave it to those with him and said, “Take, eat; this is my body.” Let us eat together.

Jesus then took a cup, and after giving thanks he gave it to them, saying, “Drink from it, all of you; for this is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Let us drink together.