Music has always been a vital part of my family's life. As a child and adolescent, I was influenced by a variety of music from Traditional Hymns, Choruses, Southern Gospel Music, Oldies Rock and Roll, Pop, 80s Hair Bands, and Contemporary Christian. The musical influence continued into my college and seminary years as Nancy and I met, started dating and married. She has a minor in Music and she introduced me to a wider variety of music including Musicals and Classical Music. As we continued through college, the Praise and Worship movement began to influence the musical genre of local churches, and the influence of Passion, Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin, and the like, influenced my musical palette. You may have a similar exposure to music and it may serve a similar role in your life as a language all its own helping you to express your emotions, thinking, and experience.

In Psalm 40:3 we read, "He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God." After the Psalmist has cried out to God; God has heard the Psalmist's voice; and God has responded by lifting the Psalmist out of the pit and placing the Psalmist's feet upon the rock; the Psalmist begins to sing a new song of praise unto God.

I enjoy reading the stories behind many of the hymns and songs we share in our worship experiences. These stories tell of people facing adversity and seeing the faithfulness of God in the midst of the adversity. These songs share stories of people who have experienced the love and grace of Christ in special ways and the Lord places upon their heart and in their mouth a song to express God's goodness in the midst of this celebration. I have never written a song, but I know on many occasions in my life, I have found a song's words coming to my mind "at just the right time," to encourage me in my walk with Christ. These songs also serve as a reminder of the times when I have faced adversity and God's faithfulness has brought me through triumphantly.

What songs serve as God's encouragement to you? How do you express your faith through the songs of your heart and life? Paul encourages us on two occasions to not only use music as a way to be encouraged, but also as an opportunity to join with other followers of Christ to give glory unto God and sing with gratitude. In Colossians 3:16 we read, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God."

How are you allowing God to place a new song in your mouth? Are you listening to God's still small voice to express God's goodness through your heart and mouth? How are you praising God each day with the songs of your heart and life? I give God praise that because of the influence music has played in my life, I can stand on God's word through the Scriptures and through God's voice speaking through the music of the Church of today influenced by the music of the Church in history. I love that I can give glory unto God using the words of the 16th Century and the words of the 21st Century and the Centuries in between. May you experience a new song in your life today as you proclaim God's goodness and hear God's encouragement joined together with the singing of your heart.

Prayer: Thank you for putting such a great song in my heart. May it be expressed from my heart to my mouth and expressed in the way that I live. Continue to bring my mind back to those songs that have influenced my faith, and place them at the forefront of my mind "at just the right time" to encourage me in my faith. Hear my singing as I praise your Holy Name. Amen.