More Than a Song - Discovering the Truth of Scripture Hidden in Today's Popular Christian Music

Sometimes I feel like a toddler -- you know, the ones with questions for days. Job has his own book in the Old Testament and it is filled with questions about the reason behind his suffering. God does eventually respond to Job, but rather than detailed answers He replies with a few questions of His own. In their song, "Where Were You," the band Ghost Ship captures the heart of Job's question and a great sampling of God's counter response.

Everyone has a story. Part of the beauty of God's Word is when we can identify with the people God chose to weave into His BIG story of redemption. Tenth Avenue North's song "Control (Somehow You Want Me)" leads us to explore Jacob in the book of Genesis. There is a distinct time and place where Jacob gives control to God. Let's consider this place of surrender together.

I find it fascinating which prayers and songs God chose to include in His Word. Of all the prayers lifted in all of time it's a good idea for us to explore the ones included in Scripture. Finding Favour's song, "Get Down," is our inspiration to learn more about one of Daniel's prayers. I can't wait for you to see how much you learn about God in this prayer.

Happy New Year! Each new year brings with it an opportunity to set new goals and consider what your focus will be before life gets in the way. Kings Kaleidoscope has a song set to the tune of the traditional new year’s song "Auld Lang Syne." Their song “All Glory Be To Christ” reminds us ultimately what each new year is about…Jesus. The song leads us to Psalm 127 where we are reminded that we are nothing without the Lord.

We can see what a heart filled with expectation looks like when we observe children's faces on Christmas morning. May our hearts burst with childlike levels of anticipation for the return of Christ. "Come Thou Long Expected Jesus," as sung by Meredith Andrews, reminds us that while the Advent season may have come to a close for 2017, we still eagerly await Christ's return. We can learn quite a bit from two characters included in the story of Christ's birth and dedication to the Lord in Luke 2.

I have been keeping Jesus small. I have found myself saying things like, "He started as a baby." Fortunately for me, I allowed Scripture to reshape my thinking this week. Inspired by downhere's song, "How Many Kings," I considered what sort of king Jesus is to emphasize the tremendous sacrifice it was for Him to come to earth as a human (much less a baby). But He did NOT "start" as a baby. Join me in Colossians 1 to put the magnifying glass on just a handful of characteristics of King Jesus.

What if Jesus had come to earth in another way? He is God after all. He didn't HAVE to plan to come as a baby. Have you ever considered why? Jason Gray's song grapples with this idea in his song "I Will Find a Way" based on a short story, "An Advent Monologue," by Walter Wangerin Jr. Join me on a journey to Isaiah 43 where we hear the loving voice of our Father.

There is such a sense of expectancy in the Christmas season. We hope our gifts for others are "just right," we hope everyone gets along at our various gatherings, we hope to make lasting and meaningful memories, and sometimes we hope for that perfect gift. Before Jesus came the first time, all of creation hoped for God to send the One that would rescue the world. Kari Jobe's song, "When Hope Came Down," calls us to examine Christ who "came down" to do the will of the Father.

There's a problem in our hearts that is not a new problem. We have hearts that are prone to wander from God. Hillary Scott & The Scott Family sing of this very thing in their rendition of the famous hymn, "Come Thou Fount." These lyrics will take us on a wonderful journey through Scripture this week. Perhaps you'll find a place to sit and stay for awhile with the Source of all our fountains.

Sometimes my grandmother bemoans the repetition in contemporary worship songs. Once she mentioned she felt like the worship team might just "sing of your love forever"...forever. I'm pretty sure she'll excuse the repetition in the classic hymn "Nothing but the Blood" as it leads us to consider the significance of the blood shed by our Savior. No matter how hard we may "try," NOTHING but the blood of Jesus can atone for our sin.

Let's develop a sense of wonder, shall we? The famous hymn "How Great Thou Art" leads us to consider God with a sense of "awesome wonder." I chose Carrie Underwood's rendition to meditate on Psalm 145. David sat in awesome wonder of God and gives us a host of truths to meditate on in just one Psalm.

From time to time I enjoy a few (or a bag) of Oreos. While they are enjoyable, they are not nourishing. The hymns of old are full of rich nourishing doctrine that help form a strong foundation for the believer. This week I use Rend Collective's rendition of "You Are My Vision," a classic hymn versified by Eleanor Hull in 1912. Join me as I uncover the Scriptural recipe for a nourishing meal at the table of God.

I've always wondered why it is more acceptable to express our joy over a touchdown (in my case an LSU Tiger touchdown) than in our salvation. MercyMe's new song, "Happy Dance," challenges us to let our joy out! Join me as we head over to 1 Peter to explore unspeakable joy.

The waters of our soul are deep. The cry of the song "Oh My Soul" by Casting Crowns reminds us that we can bare our souls to the One who created us inside and out. If we spend some time tending to our souls, we can experience the faithfulness of God in the deepest places of our being. The Psalms include many soul-baring moments, and Psalm 42 contains and example of this. It won't be hard to relate to the psalmist this week!

There are some nights when the moon shines so brightly I don't even have to turn on the outside lights to pick my way across my back deck. It's like a spotlight in the sky. Except that the moon doesn't have any light of it's own. The moon merely reflects the light of the sun. When we sing Hillsong Worship's song, "This I Believe (The Creed)" or recite the statements found in the Apostles' Creed we realize that it is not Scripture, but a reflection of the truth found in Scripture.