Wednesday, May 8, 2013

Speechless

I know that ye are Abraham's seed; but you seek to kill me, because my word hath no place in you.
John 8:37

I just read an article that says that the deepest truths cannot be put into words. And all along I thought they could! I thought that the deepest truths were in the Bible in the form of words, and that the Son of God is called The Word. I still do.

I see around us a movement away from words.

I heard of a lady in a church I recently attended who objected to the music of her church, and to the meaningless hymns. You might think she was older, but she was not.

When I heard of her plight I bought two books on church music from the point of view of those who really understand its structure. I had someone give them to her. I hope they helped by defining the effects of modern words and music in the church.

It is said that modern trends in all-music nights and vague sounding, repetative hymns are to reach out to the young. Rather, I would love to see the young reach out to God.

I used to work for a large food company and read some of their literature on the music used in stores. They figured that every distraction of a shopper yielded more purchases and therefore more profit. Store music was designed to un-focus the mind and leave it open to suggestion--"Don't you need this?" They even quantified the value of distractions in dollars and cents.

I was looking for parts, nuts and bolts, in a large hardware store. While I looked, music was blaring out with words chanting on a meaningless theme. It hit me that this was my experience in the church I had been attending. Unlike traditional hymns, the melodies I heard there, were never resolved. That is the best way this non-musicologist can describe them.

The books I gave to the lady said similar things. When God gave us His great revelations, they were in the form of words. In so many minds these great truths, in the form of words, have given place to music and vague words. His words find no place in many people.

I am sure that David's harp was beautiful, but there is nothing to compare to his words. Jesus spoke them on the cross.

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