Monday, October 11, 2010

Celebrating with Music

It is week 2 of the Making Your Home a Haven Fall Challenge. Here is this week's challenge: Play soft music everyday in your home. Choose worship, classical or another form of peaceful music that the family enjoys. Focus on using peaceful words and maintaining peaceful relationships. Remind your family to avoid seething anger, tattling, criticism or back talk. Role model gentleness this week.


21And the son said to him, 'Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son.' 22But the father said to his servants, 'Bring quickly the best robe, and put it on him, and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet. 23And bring the fattened calf and kill it, and let us eat and celebrate. 24For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found.' And they began to celebrate. 25"Now his older son was in the field, and as he came and drew near to the house, he heard music and dancing. 26And he called one of the servants and asked what these things meant.27And he said to
him, 'Your brother has come, and your father has killed the fattened calf, because he has received him back safe and sound.' Luke 15:21-27 NIV

As I thought today about music, I came across the parable of the prodigal son. A story I know many are very familiar with. The part of the passage that stuck out to me today is when the younger son has come back and the father has taken him back as son. The father orders for the fatted calf to be killed, to bring the best robe, and to celebrate.

We are told that the older son hears the music and dancing and asks what is happening. We read later that the older son is upset, has he not been keeping his father's will this whole time? Where is his party? And this picture is of God and his children. When those who are out wandering in this world come to know Christ, God rejoices! He has adopted you as a song or daughter in Christ! We are brothers and sisters! Music is to celebrate.

But why doesn't the older brother celebrate? He had two choices, he could rejoice that his brothe
r who was lost had been found, or he could become bitter at all the work he had done and received no reward (or so he thinks). It makes me think about how often I, instead of joining someone else's celebration, become bitter, wondering, "where is my prize? where is my blessing?" We become JEA-lous (or as we like to call it, JEA). And jealousy is not becoming because God tells us that love is not jealous. We should make the conscious choice to choose celebration instead of jealousy.

Let us all remember to join in each member of our families little and big celebrations. Let us all rejoice daily remembering that we are children of God! We
can do this with dancing, humming, singing, or shouting at the top of our lungs "Hallelujah!" As I play music in my home this month, I will remember the joy salvation brings and remember to celebrate all the little victories and little blessings of those around me, not becoming JEA.

Holly


Make sure to visit Courtney's Blog at WomenLivingWell to see her tips for Making Your Home Sing
Also check out all the other bloggers who have linked up there!



1 comment:

  1. So true. What a great attitude to have, to remember the joy of salvation. Sometimes it is easy to forget in the day-to-day.

    ReplyDelete