The Beauty Of Music… Hello Hump Day Readers. I hope your Easter day was filled with the joy of knowing that our precious Jesus has risen and when our time comes, we too will rise to him in heaven for all eternity. What a gift we sinners have in Christ! I am still singing the wonderful music from Easter Sunday. One of my favorites—and I have a lot of them, is from Bill & Gloria Gaither, “Because He Lives” and yes indeed, I can face tomorrow and every day. Another one is the classic “Christ The Lord Is Risen Today” with those halleluiahs—my heart just soars!

I am a musician, starting when I was 3 and have never stopped. My parents sang in church and other choirs, my twin, Emmy and I played a variety of musical instruments, along with piano and organ. For me, one of my favorites is the Saxophone. At one time in my life, I had an alto, tenor and bass! The richness of music in each of these instruments was incredible. So, I want to share a story about the Saxophone…honestly, it’s worth your read!!

Back in the 1840’s in Belgium, a young man—Adolphe Sax loved music. He became a Belgian musician and instrument maker trying to come up with a family of instruments that would bridge the gap between the woodwind and brass sections. He first started fiddling with a bass clarinet, experimenting with acoustics and keys, and eventually, in the 1840s, he introduced a new instrument which would be known as the “Saxophone.” Adolphe could feel the richness of music and the instruments who play them. It wasn’t long before the “Sax” was being used throughout French and British military bands. People loved the deep rich tone of the “Sax” and it caught people’s attention. Slowly, the instrument was introduced in conservatories and incorporated in orchestral compositions, eventually reaching the United States, where its popularity has NEVER waned. Sax’s reputation eventually helped secure him a job teaching at the Paris Conservatory in 1857. He loved training children to learn the “Sax” and other instruments—music lived in his heart. Many times, he found himself destitute. In those days, making instruments was expensive and he had little money but he would say “God has given me the joy of music so I do it” and that faith kept him going. He was even depicted on the 200 Belgian franc banknotes alongside his invention—the saxophone! And many years later, the asteroid 3534 Sax was named in his honor.

Martin Luther said “Next to the Word of God, the noble art of music is the greatest treasure in the world” and he was spot-on. God gave us all the gift of music, whether we can sing or play an instrument, or just enjoy the music—the beauty of music is for all of us.

God created music for the sole purpose of bringing him glory and God loves to hear those songs we sing in worship. Music predates creation and will always exist as a channel for the worship of God. Listen to this from Job 38:7 [Voice]: “On the day when the stars of the morning broke out in song and God’s heavenly throng, elated, shouted along!”  And in Revelation 15:3 [Voice] they were singing: “As they stand and play their harps, they sing the song of Moses, the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb. Great and amazing are Your works, Lord God, the All Powerful. Right and true are Your ways, King of all nations.”

Music is universal because God made it that way. You may say, “Cyndy, I love music but I have no ability to sing or play” and that’s OK because God doesn’t care if you are on key or not. He created it all for us to give us joy. Have you ever heard the not-so-joyful-singing of a crow—it’s irritating yet God loves them because he created them. In closing, think about the words from Adolphe Sax: “God has given me the joy of music so I do it.” Not everyone is a musician or a singer, but everyone can enjoy the music of God who purposely created music for us all. On-key or off-key, God loves to hear his children enjoying his gift of music! AMEN.