Tim Eaton

By Pastor Tim Eaton

Pandora, Spotify, iTunes, XM-Radio…the list goes on and on.  It looks like we can’t live without our music.  Why is that?  It seems we need a soundtrack for our lives.

Think about your playlists or “stations” on music services.  Why do you need so many?  We have playlists or stations for everything we do and every need:  news, working out, date night, music to work by (I’m listening to my writing station as I type), music for relaxation, music for recreation; there is a genre for every activity.  It points to the connection of music and emotion.  In fact, music is a powerful way we both express and experience emotions.

Think back to your dating days.  Did you have a soundtrack for falling in love?  You may even have, “Your Song,” as a couple.  Later there was the breakup mixtape.  Finally, a good (and tired of your moping) friend would come over with the pull-yourself-together-and-get-back-to-life CD.  Yes, music is a powerful part of experiencing life.  It’s even something we want to pass on to our children.  Whether it’s your native music, songs of faith, or just your favorite album from high school, we hope our children can appreciate it and make a musical connection across generations.

You probably already know how great and powerful music is, but have you considered the implications of these facts:  Why is there music at all?  Why does it have such a power to touch us? What evolutionary purpose does it serve? Music is a clue to the meaning, purpose, and direction of life and the entire world.  It demonstrates to us the beauty of a world created by a loving and creative God.  It shows us that not only does God exist, but also that He is good!  Just look at what an incredible gift he has given us.  Psalm 96 inspires us, “Oh, sing to the Lord a new song! Sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless His name; proclaim the good news of His salvation from day to day.”

Growing up, some people referred to the music I liked as, “Devil Music.”  Well, if Satan has music, he had to borrow it and get the idea from God himself – sounds like a fail to me.  If in fact God created music, then He has a copyright on all of it.

So we invite you to join us at Edgewater, each Sunday in June, as we discover the Godly joy and hope found in secular music.  Visit our website at http://www.EdgewaterLutheran.org to see the set list.

Edgewater Lutheran Church meets Sundays at 10 a.m., worshipping at Harada Elementary, 12884 Oakdale Street, Eastvale, CA, 92880; http://www.EdgewaterLutheran.org.