FRIDAY DEVOTIONAL

But you know what? Paul has something even better. It’s an instrument that goes with us everywhere we go, and one that we can all play. He tells us that when we sing, we are to make melody (“psallo” – “to pluck or twang the strings of”) with our heart (Ephesians 5:19).

Along those lines, I find it very interesting, (if not amazing) that when the church was established in the New Testament, they did not use musical instruments in their worship, even though God’s people had been worshipping with musical instruments for the past 1000 years (2 Chronicles 29:25-28; Psalms 150). You just don’t quit doing something cold turkey without a reason, especially something that you had been doing all your life. And according to history, it continued to be that way for centuries to come. We use the Italian term “A Cappella” to describe singing without musical instruments. The definition of that term is literally “in the style of the chapel” (or church). So, the term that we so often hear, or use is referencing the fact that the early church did not use musical instruments in their worship and didn’t for hundreds of years, as they continued in the apostle’s doctrine (Acts 2:42). By not continuing the practice that they were accustomed to, the church understood that the only instrument they were to sing with was their heart, as spoken by the apostle Paul in Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16. Men such as John Calvin, Adam Clarke and Charles Spurgeon and many others felt that way also, based upon comments they made concerning their use in worship.

Lord, thank you for giving us an instrument that goes with us everywhere. An instrument that can be plucked and twanged by us all. May it be used to your glory as we worship you not only in spirit, but also in truth (John 4:24), just as the apostles and early church did.