Music Notes

This year, February once again brings us into the season of Lent, when we are reminded of the sufferings of Jesus as He came to earth for our sakes. Although this is a more contemplative season of the church year, music plays a big role. You’ll notice a lack of processing music and postlude during this season, which can help to remind us of the lack of grandeur and majesty that Jesus experienced while here. He left His throne in glory to become a sacrifice for us.
It is often during times of contemplation, loneliness, or suffering that our hearts cry out to the Lord with the most beautiful songs. There are numerous illustrations of this with the Psalms, whose writers experienced various trials and valleys in their lives. Through these experiences, music was made as an expression of the heart’s longings. Out of these honest, earnest emotions, people lifted their voices and hearts to God in song.
The Last Psalm, singing on February 17th, will present the song “Here I Am to Worship,” with the opening lyrics: “Light of the world, you stepped down into darkness, opened my eyes, let me see…” What a powerful image for this Lenten season. It was Christ who first stepped down into darkness and walked a road of suffering and loneliness. But the things on His mind as He suffered and died were not His trials and hurts, but the love that He had for you and for me. What an awesome sacrifice, and what an unfathomable love that He has for us. In response, may we all be able to say, “Here I am to worship,” as we draw nearer to Christ during this season of Lent.