Music has this ability to – well, to lift our spirits. To move us on the inside. In a way that nothing else can. And so when we make music in our hearts – music for God – there's a healing that comes out of that overflow. There's something special about music. We each like different things. For me it's Beethoven, Chopin, The Little River Band. Funny thing music. I mean I listen to one of my favourite songs and, well without the music the lyrics would still probably make a pretty good poem but it wouldn't be the same, would it? There's something about music that moves us. Music is something that touches the soul. Music is something that touches us so deep in our hearts. When you stand back and think about it, well it's kind of weird. It doesn't make sense but there you go. Music affects us in ways that we can't explain. And that's why I love this particular verse written by the apostle Paul almost 2,000 years ago. Have a listen: Sing and make music in your heart to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:19). It's one thing for someone else's music to move us, to rock us to the core. But that's not what Paul's talking about here. He's not talking about receiving music. He's talking about giving music. Singing and making music in your heart to the Lord. Now that's something quite different. Over these last couple of weeks we've been talking about the fact that God wants to heal our hearts. The heart is that place deep inside where we live and laugh and cry and experience things. People can have hard hearts or soft hearts. Divided hearts or committed hearts. Our hearts can be proud and arrogant or humble and contrite. And the point, I guess, of what we've been talking about over these last few weeks is the fact that our hearts need healing. Because when they're sick, it robs us of life. It stunts our growth and that's why God wants to heal our hearts. Even when we've turned our backs on Him, especially then. When we're hurting. When we're living through the consequences of our rebellion. Jesus, quoting Isaiah, said this: For this people's heart has become calloused. They hardly hear with their ears and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn and I would heal them. And what happens when our hearts are healed is this. Instead of being needy all the time. Instead of always needing people to help us and support us. Instead of being mostly a taker, we become mostly a giver. There's an overflow. There's an abundance. There's more than enough to share with others whose hearts, in turn, need healing. And nowhere is this more evident than when we're making music in our hearts to God. I wonder if that isn't what worship is all about. See, these Christians, they go to church, mostly on Sundays and sing songs and worship God. But I know from my own experience and maybe you've been in this place too, that it's entirely possible to stand there, to sing the song and have your mind wandering. "Oh I wonder who's going to win the football match this afternoon." You know what I'm talking about. There's no worship happening there. The mind's not even engaged yet alone the heart. But when our hearts have been healed by God we just want to make music. We just have to. Because when the Spirit of God gets a hold of our hearts and heals them and brings forgiveness and repentance, that turning back to God that we were talking about the other day. When we love God and we seek Him and serve Him with all our hearts. When that's what's happening on the inside, let me tell you, we just want to make music to God in our hearts. Can I ask you something today? Can I implore you? Don't settle for a life of anything less. This is God's plan for you and for me so that even when we're going through the most severe trial, we can close our eyes and just know that we are full of the Spirit of God Himself. That we are loved. That we are safe and that my friend is where the joy of the Lord comes from. That's what makes us want to make music to the Lord, our God, in our hearts. There was a time when David, before he became king of Israel, was being hunted down like an animal by the current king, Saul. Saul wanted to kill David and so David, this day, was hiding in a cave. Later he writes a psalm about that experience. Listen carefully, it's so beautiful. Psalm 57: Be merciful to me O God, be merciful to me. For in You my soul takes refuge. In the shadow of Your wings I will take refuge until the destroying storms pass by. I cry to God most high, to God who fulfils His purposes for me. He will send from heaven and save me. He will put to shame those who trample on me. God will send forth His steadfast love and His faithfulness. I lie down among the lions that greedily devour human prey. Their teeth are spears and arrows, their tongues are sharp swords, be exalted O God above the heavens. Let Your glory be over all the earth. They set a net for my steps, my soul was bowed down. They dug a pit in my path but they have fallen into it themselves. My heart is steadfast O God, my heart is steadfast. I will sing and make melody. Awake my soul. Awake O harp and lyre. I will awake the dawn. I will give thanks to you O Lord among the peoples. I will sing praises to You among the nations. For Your steadfast love is as high as the heavens. Your faithfulness extends to the clouds. I love this! Here is David, he is hiding and cowering in a cave. People are after him, he is in fear for his life. This is the darkest hour, his life is threatened. He's lying amongst the lions and yet listen to what he's saying. Psalm 57:7: My heart is steadfast O God, my heart is steadfast. I will sing and make melody. How can he want to sing? How can he want to make melody? Because his heart is steadfast. It is healed. It is resting in God. He is safe amidst the danger and the threat. And he just can't help himself. He wants to sing. Does that mean we should expect to be on cloud nine? No. Some days are going to be tough. Some days are going to be like hiding in the cave fearing for our lives. But on those days I want to deliberately encourage you today to make music in your heart to God. God wants to have us healed. He wants a heart in us that is steadfast and abundantly overflowing with the joy of the Lord. And you know what I've discovered? On those bad days when sometimes the very last thing that I feel like doing is worshipping God, I worship Him anyway. Because in this strange kind of way, in a way that I can't quite explain, worshipping God, making music to Him in my heart brings healing and peace and joy. My friend, listen to me. God wants to heal your heart. Lay it out before Him. Seek Him with all your heart. Love Him with all your heart. Serve Him with all your heart. And He will, I promise you, He will come and heal it. It may take time, it often does. But little by little, that sickness inside us He calls sin goes away and it's replaced by health, a vitality, a passion, a desire to sacrifice and serve the Lord our God. And it's like He gives us a new heart or it's like He revives our heart. And when He does that, no matter what comes, we end up in our own way saying what David said: My heart is steadfast O God, my heart is steadfast. I will sing and make melody. You just can't help it.

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