Can Music Help Us Pray?

Last time I talked about how Brother Lawrence in his [really] old school book The Practice of the Presence of God taught us that prayer is keeping company with God who is already present. And I promised you a few ways I routinely experience this kind of prayer beyond the meal and outside of church. So here you go. The first way is through nature [see my post on Geocaching for more info]. The second is through providential circumstances [remind me to tell you about those some time!!!]. And a third [of at least six I experience all the time] is music. But not just church music. All music. Which was a huge epiphany to John Bunyan’s church in the 1600s.

Because until the 17th century people had sung only the psalms and paraphrases of Scripture. Hymns introduced secular poetry into the church. And they were convinced that was evil. Even if the poetry overtly talked about God! Apparently, they weren’t aware that the Holy Spirit inspired the Bible writers to add at least 4 pieces of "secular" poetry straight into the Bible. There are probably more, but scholars agree at least these four places in Scripture were based on then well known secular poems or songs. They are John 1:1-18, Philippians 2:6-11, Colossians 1:15-20; and 1 Timothy 3:16.

That's why on my iPod and on my blog, there’s a continually rotating playlist of all kinds of songs that remind me about Jesus. I added some of my Thanksgiving Faves this week. So click the triangular play button to the right and listen for some for some of your own since Psalm 40:3 says God will "Put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD." What songs have helped you practice the presence of God? How has music of any kind helped you speak and hear from God? Ask me about how God used a Bruce Springsteen song to speak to me!!!