Sometimes “I am Their Music”

Sometimes “I am Their Music”

            The Lamentations of the prophet Jeremiah records in two places that God’s seer experienced the stinging reproach of the people around him.  Lamentations 3:14 “I was a derision to all my people; and their song all the day.” Lamentations 3:65 “Behold their sitting down, and their rising up; I am their musick.”  If you are a full of part time practicing Christian musician you may offer experience the jest and derision of others. If you are truly God’s “seer” i.e. a musician who understands what it means to deliver God’s word to a congregation, and if you are true to the biblical principles of musicing, you will be criticized by others.

            There is no doubt about it; there is a battle for Christian music taking place in the post-modern world. If you operate from a conservative, Bible-based philosophy of music you will find yourself in the denominational “fiery furnace.” Like Jeremiah, you will be misunderstood.  The thing that matters is how you react to misunderstanding. If you get bitter or sour you will be the one who suffers. Jeremiah prayer is recorded in verse twenty of chapter five, “turn thou us unto thee, O LORD, and we shall be turned, renew our days as of old.”  Getting even is never the answer. The answer is to bring our Lamentations to the Lord. Rev. R. E. Carroll told me once, “When I am misunderstood I pray ‘O Lord, handle me. O Lord, take care of me. O Lord, take care of my attitude.’”