SCRIPTURE: Away with the noise of your songs! I will not listen to the music of your harps. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! Amos 5:23-24 NIV
THOUGHT: As a songwriter and leader of worship, it cuts me to the quick to imagine God emphatically ordering us to stop the music. God desires our whole-hearted worship in song, right? Scenes of heaven from Revelation always picture singing. David the songwriter was a joy to God most of the days of his life. Seventy-three passionate Psalms written by him teach us authenticity and passion and God’s faithfulness. David’s son, Solomon, we are told, wrote 1005 songs (1 Kings 4:32)! But just like Solomon concluded, in volumes of writing there is weariness (Ecc. 12:12), and God might also add, “emptiness.”
There is a different kind of music that God longs to hear, and it’s as loud as a river rolling and as constant as a stream that keeps finding a way around obstacles, persistent and pure. And if he can’t hear that sound from our lives – the pursuit of justice and right-living – he’d rather not hear anything at all.
Next time we’re singing, let’s ask ourselves: can God hear the music of my heart toward justice and right-living or am I mouthing empty words of worship that might sound great but fall flat on the ears of the one who knows everything?
Songs can be worship…but they can also just be noise.
PRAYER: Oh God, justice and righteousness are like living water to you – and to us too. We are desperate for a different kind of music.
Dear Reader,
I’m glad you’re along and I pray you will be blessed, challenged, and encouraged in your faith by something you read here.
There are archives by topic below – now more than 1000 of these daily meditations to browse.
ABOUT ME:
Blogger Amy Clemens is the author of Walking When You’d Rather Fly: Meditations on Faith After the Fall. In it she explores childhood sexual abuse and how it impacted her faith (or lack thereof) for four decades. You’ll find not only her story, but better yet, the Big Story of God.
Check out Walking When You’d Rather Fly, and learn more about the book and Amy’s other ministries. You will also find her devotional work at Words of Hope.
FREE TO YOU:
If you’d like to be notified of this blog each weekday, please look for the little blue “follow” button below (just above the topical search), and welcome!
asipoblog.com 