nawinter.com

It’s a common refrain that’s heard as I walk into the art department. It’s almost always immediately followed by a sing-along and if, the art department is lucky, an impromptu dance performance. I love music. I always have. And whether it’s a rocking song from the 90’s, aflashback to the 80’s, or my work-day theme song, it requires a lot of restraint for me not to belt out the words along with the radio. I can certainly relate to the guy I observed in Blockbuster who joined in on the Rascal Flatts videoplaying throughout the store. Music speaks to my soul and my soul wants to respond.

My affinity for music is probably why I like worship songs* so much. They express thoughts about God that just can’t be conveyed with the spoken word. I haven’t decided if it’s because the lyrics blended with the melody bring a greater depth to the relationship, or if it’s simply easier to capture and relate to thoughts expressed in rhyme, but either way, I know that my greatest moments of worship are often accompanied by music.

And this has been that way through the ages. Miriam sang as the Israelites escaped Egypt. Mary sang upon receiving her angelic greeting. And the most famous lyricist of them all, David, sang and danced at every occasion imaginable.

Maybe it’s because music allows us to engage with our Maker in a manner that’s reflective of His being. After all, God is essentially an artist; the greatest design in the world is reflected in creation. And especially for those non-artistic types like myself, music provides me one avenue of engaging with God in a manner that expresses His heart. So much of life and my relationship with God is based on who I am; music is expressive of Him.

The art department can look forward to many more random performances. And if they’re fortune, they may even experience another dance-off. (If you weren’t there – that’s a story for another time). But none of these performances will compare with the ultimate show – when we’re standing at our Maker’s feet, singing along to His song.

*A quick sidebar to state a pet peeve – please note I said worship songs. Worship isn’t exclusively about music. When preachers say, “And now that we’ve finished worship. . “, I want to scream, “So what are we doing for the rest of the church service – being entertained?”

For Sunday School graduates, the name Martha is associated with the woman who was so busy preparing dinner that she didn’t realize that she was in the presence of her Savior. Martha is chided for being so worried about worldly things, that she wasn’t concerned with things of heaven. Her sister, Mary, however is revered for her demonstration of worship at Jesus’ feet.

Surely this wasn’t the first time in history that one sister has been praised, while another was derided, and it certainly won’t be the last. However, this portrayal is incomplete. While this might be the story that is most often associated with Martha, it’s not the only time that she is mentioned in the Bible. At her brother’s Lazurus’ death she also plays a central role. This time however, she’s the one who should be commended.

Lazurus had died and the sisters were grieving. When Jesus, their friend, finally came, it was Martha who ran out and greeted him. It was Martha who first acknowledged that had Jesus wanted to, He could have prevented Lazurus’ death. It was Martha who testified that God would give Jesus whatever He asked. Finally, it was Martha who first made a profession of faith; she was the one who stated that Jesus was the Christ.

I’d like to think that maybe Mary learned the truth about worship from this experience. With Lazurus dead, she stayed at the house, while her sister Martha ran to the Lord’s presence. Maybe it was her sister’s example of real-life faith that caused her to realize the importance of learning who Christ was. Maybe her lifestyle of worship was the direct result of her sister’s proclamation.

I don’t know if this is the case, and this side of heaven I doubt I ever will. But maybe Martha’s a model to follow after all.