“If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”
Revelation 3:20 (ESV)
Music is a form of therapy for the soul, that extends beyond words, inspiring a more cheerful and peaceful heart. It’s the oldest gift, since from ancient times, every culture on earth used music as a bridge of expression to unite heaven and earth. Scripture tells us that there is music in heaven, and God gave musical talent to people who have since blessed generations with their music. Here are some statements made by famous musicians, of what music meant to them:
Johann Sebastian Bach-“I play the notes as they are written but it is God who makes the music.”
Paul McCartney- “Music is the only common thread that has maintained its power throughout the ages.”
Bob Marley-“One good thing about music, when it hits, you feel no pain.”
Bono-“Music can change the world because it can change people.”
Billy Joel-“I think music in itself is healing. It’s an explosive expression of humanity.”
All those quotes are true, regardless of what kind of music it is. I love all kinds of music. One day last week, I heard an old Irish hymn being sung by a choir on a Christian TV show. I’ve heard the song before but didn’t know the name of the hymn. While listening to it, I quickly placed my phone by the TV and asked Siri “What song is this?” Siri kept saying, “Hmm, I don’t recognize this song.”
I got so frustrated that Siri’s search abilities are so limited in the genre of Christian songs and hymns. I needed the title of that song in order to download it, so I prayed, “Holy Spirit and angels, you know the title of this song, so please help me find it.”
Then I searched on my phone for “Old Irish hymns.” A page popped up with the heading, “30 favorite Celtic hymns” all listed by title. I only knew the first line of the song, so I scrolled down the long list and the 13th song on the list, matched a line in the song. I clicked on it to listen and it was the exact song I was searching for. Thanks to the Holy Spirit and the musical expertise of angels, I found it, and then downloaded the song.
I relaxed while listening to the song, whose title is “I heard the voice of Jesus say.” As I read the history of the song, I was surprised to learn that it was not Irish, but was written by a Scottish pastor in 1846, whose name was Horatius Bonar. He wrote about 600 hymns in his lifetime.
I also learned that “Celtic” is a title that applies to both Scottish and Irish. I’ve always found something very spiritual about Celtic music, with the unique sounds of their rare instruments, but more than anything, I love the lyrics in this particular song.
All music has a therapeutic power of inner healing and deepening spiritual connections. Jesus told us if we hear His voice and open the door, He will come in and dine with us. When lyrics and melody come together like a marriage, something spiritual happens, and we can hear the voice of Jesus through any genre of music. It’s God’s oldest gift to mankind, and I thank Him for it.
As we take time this week to find rest from a world of stress, we should remember we’ve been given the gift of music. Peace in the world begins with one individual heart at a time. The voice of Jesus, subtly heard in a melody or lyrics of a song, brings us His peace. He is politely knocking on the door of every human heart, waiting patiently for the door to open, and let Him in.
Lord, help us to embrace the gift of music, in hearing your voice that brings us rest and peace, and we pray for the conversion of all souls to hear what you say and open their doors to you. Amen
(The old Celtic hymn)
I Heard the Voice of Jesus Say (Tune: Kingsfold – 3vv) [with lyrics for congregations] – YouTube