A few weeks ago I got to attend a concert that included some of my songs. It isn’t a unique experience to hear a choir sing my lyrics, but something about this experience was different. For one thing, the composer of the music was there too, accompanying the choir and sharing some thoughts on the composition of the songs. And the choir seemed especially appreciative of the music they were singing. Several of the choir members approached me afterwards and wanted to thank me. A few described the connection they had with the songs they had sung. It was a sweet blessing to meet them, but in a way it felt like we had already known each other for years.
And now in retrospect, I’ve had a little time to reflect on the power of a song. Poetry set to music seems to have a special influence that neither the poem nor the music would have on its own. It seems to be able to convince the heart and move the emotions so that those who sing it later feel a deep connection with those who wrote it. And this seems to be especially true if the song conveys a truth about God. I think it’s amazing that He has wired us to be able to relate to Him through both our minds and our emotions. And that He uses creative expression–poetry, music, art–to help us tap into those thoughts and feelings. He reaches out to us in these ways so that we will turn to Him in worship and praise and trust. Truly we are fearfully and wonderfully made by a wonderful God.