I recently retired from the Canadian public service after 35 years. What
do I do to fill the hours? Since I play the organ and piano, providing
music for the services that our church conducts in seniors' residences
and nursing homes was a natural choice. The first thing that I learned
is that residents don't want to hear fancy organ and piano solos. They
want to hear their favourite hymns from the hymn book. The effect of
this music is remarkable. People with dementia who have not spoken for
days sometimes sing along. I have seen tears flow as a familiar hymn
stirs the heart. It seems that music remains in the mind when other
memories have vanished.
David was the king of Israel, a warrior
mighty in battle. But he was first of all a musician, and his playing
set Saul free from the power of an evil spirit. David's songs -- the
Psalms -- continue to inspire people thousands of years after his
kingship. They are his most enduring legacy.
The apostle Paul
emphasized the importance of music in a Christian's life when he gave
this counsel:
Ephesians 5:18b-19 -- Be filled with the Spirit;
speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing
and making melody in your heart to the Lord. (KJV)
Let us
continue to sing the good Lord's praises with our voices and in our
hearts. Then, when other thoughts and memories have faded, maybe with
God's grace, we will still be able to sing these wonderful words penned
by Charles Wesley:
Finish, then, Thy new creation,
Pure
and spotless let us be;
Let us see Thy great salvation,
Perfectly restored in Thee;
Changed from glory into glory,
Till in heaven we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns
before Thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise.
Prayer:
Dear Lord, thank You for the gift of music. Grant us grace to sing Your
praise with our voices and in our hearts, and to show forth our faith in
our lives. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.
Richard Frith, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Thanks to PresbyCan Daily Devotional
