\n<\/p>\n
Every great song has a simple melody or line called the \u201chook.\u201d The best hooks are memorable and bring a laugh or stir a memory through a clever phrase or rhyme. Whether praise songs or pop songs, my favorites don\u2019t necessarily follow a formula, but each has a strong hook that communicates some emotion I can relate to.<\/p>\n
We all have a songwriter somewhere inside us, which is part of what makes live music so thrilling. When we sing or sway with others at church or at a concert, in some ineffable way we share an understanding with those around us.<\/p>\n
This inclination toward song comes from God. When I am paying attention, I notice that God often works like a master songwriter, highlighting themes in my life through a good hook that he keeps repeating. Most often I see it when reading his Word. But I can also notice a recurring theme at random\u2014on a street sign or when I cross paths with a stranger at a coffee shop.<\/p>\n
I\u2019ve become more familiar with God\u2019s melodic messages as often, over a few days or a week, I see the repetition of a Scripture verse. I might read a word in a devotional and then hear it the same day from a friend. For me, these refrains often turn into song ideas.<\/p>\n
God sings over us in our everyday lives, reminding us that his light still breaks in, \u201cthe true light that gives light to everyone\u201d (John 1:1\u201318). He didn\u2019t just wind up his creation and let go; he is intimately concerned and present with us.<\/p>\n
When we\u2019re listening, we\u2019ll find answers to our prayerful questions that will help define what matters to us. Should we adjust our work schedules to accommodate family dinner? Should we volunteer in politics for the upcoming election? Should we go on a mission trip? The answers to these questions aren\u2019t written in the Bible, but when we ponder God\u2019s truth in his Word, he sings over us a chorus of grace, shaping how we live and who we are.<\/p>\n
God knows how to get our attention through a memorable thought or encouraging word, and he writes with a songwriter\u2019s touch. Consider the poetic composition of John 1: \u201cAll things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men\u201d (vv. 3\u20134, NKJV).<\/p>\n
In times of heartbreak or triumph, God speaks to us personally. I\u2019ve started looking for the Spirit\u2019s prompts, these musical hooks, to help make sense of stories as they unfold\u2014even and especially when our experiences or news feeds don\u2019t make sense. \u201cAre you here in this with us, Lord?\u201d we pray.<\/p>\n
He has answered my doubts, for instance, with John Newton\u2019s hymn \u201cAmazing Grace.\u201d The song was originally called \u201cFaith\u2019s Review and Expectation,\u201d and when that title comes to mind, it directs me to notice God\u2019s faithfulness in times of uncertainty and to share that assurance with others.<\/p>\n
Psalm 90 has also been a corrective and a consolation for me: \u201cTeach us to number our days, that we may gain a heart of wisdom\u201d (v. 12). This phrase counsels me to accept my limits and receive God\u2019s provision for my time and energy in every change of season.<\/p>\n
God\u2019s hooks may change over time and may come from unexpected places. I remember standing in a convenience store one afternoon, in a difficult season of life, hearing Fleetwood Mac\u2019s iconic ballad \u201cLandslide\u201d on the radio. I was reminded that in all the changes of our lives, even when things fall apart, God is ever the same. On that day, in that moment through tears, I felt seen by a personal, compassionate God.<\/p>\n
God\u2019s songs might arrive as a few words that seep into your mind: a borrowed lyric, something you see while taking a walk. Or the song he is singing over you might even arrive in a moment of quiet, like a well-placed musical pause. \u201cSilence is praise to you,\u201d The Message version of Psalm 65:1 reminds us.<\/p>\n
The point is, God\u2019s playlist is everywhere, because God wants to abide with us everywhere\u2014his grace and truth breaking into all our big and ordinary moments.<\/p>\n
Sandra McCracken is a singer-songwriter living in Nashville. She is also the host of The Slow Work<\/a><\/span> podcast produced by CT.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Have something to add about this? See something we missed? Share your feedback here<\/a>.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n