The Beauty of Music

Can you hear the music? Can you hear the sound of the angels singing? Or the swooshing of their wings and praises of worship? Music, such a sweet sound that your heart nearly comes out of your chest. Makes you feel like you can almost reach heaven doesn't it?

Words set to music can make a heart soar. They can express so many emotions: sadness, desperation, hurt, pain, joy, happiness, laughter. Your heart can be in turmoil or great joy, have no words to express it, then a song comes on and your heart cries out. I know in these times God hears our heart and the spirit begins to pray for us. Music just seems to release the things of the heart that our lips can't seem to speak.

Hurting moments of deep despair have no words, a song comes on and the tears flow. The grief washes over us and we cry. Relief finally comes.

Recently God has been showing me the importance of music in our lives. He has shown me also, the importance He places on it. Not just because of its ability to move us but many other reasons. Heaven, I believe, is full of music. Music full of worship that praises God and creates a beauty like nothing we have ever heard. We often talk about the beauty of heaven in the sense of what our eyes will see but not the other four senses. I believe when we arrive in heaven it will take all five of our senses to a place we could never imagine. We will taste unfathomable flavor, smell unbelievable aromas, touch softness that’s better than velvet, see beauty unimaginable and hear sound that will go right through us.

In Don Piper's book "90 Minutes in Heaven" he talks about his experience in heaven. After a car accident he is declared dead for 90 minutes. During that time he recounts his journey to heaven. His most vivid memory of heaven is what he heard. Here's how he describes the music of heaven.

I often surprised a covey of birds and flushed them out of their nests on the ground. A whooshing sound accompanied their wings as they flew away. My most vivid memory of heaven is what I heard. I can only describe it as a holy swoosh of wings. But I'd have to magnify that thousands of times to explain the effect of the sound in heaven. It was the most beautiful and pleasant sound I've ever heard, and it didn't stop. It was like a song that goes on forever. I felt awestruck, wanting only to listen. I didn't just hear music. It seemed as if I were part of the music-and it played in and through my body. I stood still, and yet I felt embraced by the sounds. As aware as I became of the joyous sounds and melodies that filled the air, I wasn't distracted. I felt as if the heavenly concert permeated every part of my being, and at the same time I focused on everything else around me.

Myriads of sounds so filled my mind and heart that it's difficult to explain them. The most amazing one, however, was the angel’s wings. I didn't see them, but the sound was a beautiful, holy melody with a cadence that seemed never to stop. The swishing resounded as if it was a form of never-ending praise. As I listened I simply knew what it was.

A second sound remains, even today, the single, most vivid memory I have of my entire heavenly experience. I call it music, but it differed from anything I had ever heard or ever expect to hear on the earth. The melodies of praise filled the atmosphere. The nonstop intensity and endless variety overwhelmed me.

All through the bible scripture speaks of music, singing and the playing of instruments. There are whole books of the bible written as songs like the Psalms and Song of Solomon. In Zephaniah 3:17 even the Lord sings, "He rejoices over us with singing".

I believe music is more than just a beautiful thing in our life; it plays a big role here on earth as well as in heaven. It is a tool to open the soul, draw people to their knees and soften the heart for hearing the word of God. It makes us cry out, let go of our pain and rejoice in praise. It can take us to heaven right here on earth. Our spirit within us cries out to God on our behalf as we sing from our heart. And when a song of praise reaches Satan's ear he flees.

Music is also an effective tool to use against spiritual attack. As you can see in the description of heaven by Don Piper, music runs all through heaven. Satan hates God, hates heaven and can not stand the sound of praise. He flees when we break out in worship. The sounds of praise are like screeching in his ears.

When Satan is whispering lies, doubt and discouragement in your ear, break out in praise and the oppression will lift. He will flee so fast that you may feel the wind blow by.

Songs also combat spiritual warfare by protecting your mind. Have you ever had a song that got stuck in your head? There is something about a melody that plays over and over in your mind. If the song is a praise song, your mind is consumed with Godly things and there is no room for evil thoughts to enter. So sing a praise song and let it continually play through your mind. It will protect you and keep you focused on the things of God.

Music can add so many wonderful things to your life. If you take a little time to see what music can do for you, I believe you will see it become as important to you as it is to God. As you embrace all it has to offer. You will begin to see what an amazing gift you have waiting when you arrive in heaven.