Some Musicians Remind Me of Fancy Pigeons—part 4

 

Some Musicians Remind Me of Fancy Pigeons—part 4

          Some Christian musicians remind me of a type of fancy pigeon called a Homer.  1Chronicles 9:33 gives explanation of ancient faithful music ministers, “And these are the singers, chief of the fathers of the Levites, who remaining in the chambers were free: for they were employed in that work day and night.”  These ancient musicians were not like the Homer pigeon.  You see, if you purchase a Homer, you have to keep him in a pen for as long as he lives or he will go back to the place where he was born.  He does this because he is a Homer.

          Some Christian musicians are like a Homer  pigeon, because many times when they are needed in a local music ministry, if the door is left the slightest bit open, on Sunday morning when the choir or orchestra director looks out upon his ministering flock of musicians, he will find, as usual, his Homers have taken flight again!  Somehow these Homer-like musicians have failed to remember that the Bible lesson in 1 Chronicles 9:33, reminds us all that first, these ancient faithful musicians remained in the chambers i.e. they were constantly and faithfully in the orchestra pit or in the choir loft. 

          Second, their faithfulness “day and night” brought about a freedom that is not understood by some Christian musicians.  There is no greater joy or spiritual freedom than that which comes from being faithful to one’s musical ministry. 1Chronicles 16:37 also leaves us with a Bible lesson of faithful musicing unto God, “So he left there before the ark of the covenant of the LORD Asaph and his brethren, to minister before the ark continually, as every day's work required…”  As one can plainly see from the Bible lessons above, Christian musicians who are incessant Homers do not understand the joy and freedom that these faithful ministering musicians enjoyed. 

          The Hebrew word azab (5800) has several shades of meaning as used in the O.T.  It means to relinquish authority, to leave someone somewhere, to loosen, or to fortify.  So, YAHV had enough trust these ministering musicians to be in their (chambers) i.e. their place of ministry as much as every day’s music required.  God knew that these Levite musicians were not Homers.  YAHV knew that these musicians felt that the call to music ministry was greater than the call to go “home” for the weekend.