Music – The Universal Language

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!”  And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen. – Revelation 6:9-12

Several weeks ago, Robert Hayes, our Director of Program & Worship, shared a devotional for our weekly staff chapel and gave us a music theory lesson. He explained that if you look at a piece of music, the notes on the lines starting from the bottom working up read: E G B D F (Every Good Boy Does Fine). The space notes start from the bottom read: F A C E (Face).

Musical notes have value. Depending on the note it could get one beat, two beats, three beats, or a half a beat. The key signature determines if the music is written in sharps or flats.

The amazing thing about music is that no matter what language you speak, what you see on the printed page apart from the lyrics, is the same in every language. Key signatures, sharps or flats, half notes or quarter notes – they are all the same. Bring together musicians from almost any part of the world, even though they cannot read English, they could all read a piece of music and we’d all be on the same page.

These past two weekends we have had several hundred of our Hispanic friends on campus for a special weekend. Robert and I have played for their worship. Most of the words we don’t understand. But the music we are playing looks the same as what is in our hymnbooks.

While we may not understand the words – we can worship the Lord with these precious friends because there is no musical language barrier.

I thought about heaven – when we will all be gathered around the throne worshipping and praising the Lord. As John wrote, people from every tongue, tribe and nation will be worshipping the Lamb. Will we be singing in our native tongue? Will we be able to understand every language? I have no clue.

But I do know this – we will all be singing on the same page! The music will all be the same. How do I know that? Because God is the creator of all music. Not sure about that? Then check out Zephaniah 3:17.

Running the race with joy,

Bill Welte
President/CEO America’s Keswick

Daily Bible Reading: Job 14-16; 1 Corinthians 6

Quote of the day:  Abundant life means that we are fully alive at every level our being, to the whole of life; alive to the very tips of our fingers; aware of the whole range of response, intellectual, spiritual, emotional, sad and joyful, painful and peaceful. Tom Marshall

Bible Memory: The Lord is my portion; I promise to keep your words. I entreat your favor with all my heart; be gracious to me according to your promise. Psalm 119:57-58