It was a few years back when I discovered Christian music (when I say Christian music I mean popular, contemporary or modern Christian music.) I wasn’t in on it from the beginning. Back when it all began in the early 80’s I was a mere 2 years old and didn’t know much about anything aside from what was in front of me. Meanwhile artist like Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Stryper, Kathy Tracolli and the Gather Band were playing at local churches and praising God through music. But it wasn’t until 1991 that Christian music entered into my world of music. I have nothing against the other artists but as I was growing up I had different tastes of music than my parents and I was looking for something a little more “in your face” and “edgy”. It was Michael W. Smith concert that I attended that introduced me to an up-and-coming band named dctalk as an opening act and my life was changed. Their sound was awesome and it was the combination of music that I was looking for. From that point on, I hardly listened to anything else and couldn’t wait for the next album to come out.
My life was changed again by music when I discovered a new band called Jars of Clay. They had an acoustic sound and feel that really spoke to where I was in life and was something that my whole family could love as well. It was then that I realized that there were tons of different styles and types of Christian music and even entire stores devoted to the selling and promoting of these bands. Form that point on I have immersed myself in Christian music.
I have always been a lover of music. I listen to every type of music and try to stay up on the popular songs because of my youth director position. But there is something different about music with Christ as its focus. Christian music is something that stirs me deep inside and a spring of emotions begins to overflow from me with the love of Christ at its center. If you think about it, this is what being a Christian should feel like. Understanding that God’s love for us through His son’s death on the cross is something so amazing that it should fill us with joy and thanksgiving to the point where it overflows into our life, work, play and rest. Worship should be in perpetual motion in our lives. But I am often distracted by what the world has to offer that I loose focus and begin to forget. But I am consistently drawn back to God through the music I listen to. It encourages me and allows me to worship him in some of the most unusual places like my car, while cleaning my apartment and wherever I may be with my Ipod. And the best part is no matter what style of music you like you can find artists that sing about God and praise Christ through their music.
This is what worship is: praising God anywhere and everywhere. This is what God deserves for His sacrifice and love for us. It is our way of saying thanks and through music is the best way I know how.
What does your music point you toward? Is it God?
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