Music is one of God’s greatest gifts. Whether you have the ability to create it yourself or you just like to listen, it’s something we all experience on a daily basis. From background music in the store and music while we’re on hold, to commercials and educational songs for kids, music has a strong effect on our lives. It evokes emotion, on purpose. In fact, Paul says in Ephesians 5:19 that we should sing and make music from our hearts to the Lord, thanking Him for everything. It is nearly impossible to do that without emotion.
That is where love and joy live. In the gated community in the downtown section of your heart. It’s gated to keep it from being overcome by things like hatred and pain, until it’s strong enough to do the overcoming itself. Love and joy are very good friends with Jesus, in fact, you’ll never find them separated! When you accept Jesus and ask Him to live in your heart, you’re also inviting love and joy to come and take over as Christ sees fit (which is almost always!).
The music we play during the holidays are mostly songs of love and joy for the birth of Jesus. Over the years we tend to forget about that and instead take the emotion out of it. Ever get tired of listening to Christmas music? The next time you hear a Christmas carol, listen with your heart. Let love and joy take over as you reflect on the purpose of the song. Once you open that gated community in your heart and let love and joy spill out through your emotions, you’ll be amazed at how Jesus moves in your life. You may even become one of those people who listen to Christmas music year round!
While music is a wonderful way to express your love and joy, it isn’t isn’t the only way. This month’s Bible study will take you on a journey to learn about how you can increase the love and joy in your life outside of music. Because when the song ends, your love and joy should still continue to pour out of your heart. Love and joy depend on God for strength, so growing closer to Him will keep your love and joy strong.
I pray that you are able to grow even more through God’s word and spread your love and joy to others who may not have a relationship with Him.
With an abundance of love and joy for every single one of you,
Monica
