Is It In You?

Psalm 105:2 (The Message)
Sing him songs, belt out hymns,
translate his wonders into music!

In December 1989 the United States Army deployed the use of High Voltage Rock Music to force General Noriega out of hiding. Noriega who was wanted by the USA to face charges of violating racketeering and drug laws and money laundering.

After failed diplomatic pressure on Panama and the Panaman dictator President Bush deployed his troops to capture Noriega. It was at the Nunciatura that the General seeked refuge from the army. The US troops surrounded the building and in an attempt to force the dictator out they played rock music constantly.

In 2002, the Metropolitan Boston Transit Authority police also used music.

When students gather each afternoon at the end of the Orange Line, often a time for teen tensions to flare, they’re now greeted not just with the shouts of their peers, but tunes played by the Pops floating from newly installed speakers.

.... “We tried arresting the kids last year. That didn’t work at all. We just wanted to try something different,” said William Fleming, acting chief of the MBTA Police.

.... On a recent afternoon, as the delicate strains of Gershwin’s “An American in Paris” drifted from the speakers, commuters, police, and teens milled about, their movements taking on an almost choreographed quality.

Just a few days into the experiment, it appears to be working, despite the fact, said MBTA officials, that several teens have issued critiques of the music in terms that cannot be reprinted.

.... “Ever since this music’s been playing, people are leaving earlier,” said Devante Jones, a senior at West Roxbury High. Guess that tactic worked.

And for two weeks now across the street at Valparaiso Elementary, PE teachers have been playing square dancing music for three hours a day. Enough! You can have Panama, I'll leave the bus stop, just don't make me alemand and dosie do any longer!

If they continue, I'm going to have to go back to my roots and set up my speakers and blast some Stylistics, Temptations, Four Tops and Otis Redding at them, and if it still continues - I'll go nuclear with the Bee Gees at full blast. "You should be dancing...... yeah."

Funny how music effects us, isn't it.

Last night New Hope hosted a senior adult choir from Georgia. Just hearing English spoken with my native accent was heavenly. They presented "Singing With the Saints" a program chock full of the music that was popular in the church 30 years ago when I became a believer. Times have changed, and so has the music we sing in worship.

But one thing hasn't - the Holy Spirit still uses music to move people closer to God. It's a heart -language that transends generations and cultures. And if we can get past the date the music was written, and the accompanying notes, we'll frequently find that the music we sang and the music we sing today both glorify God.

So for an hour last night, I watched as those senior saints sang their hearts out for God's glory. Watching their faces I knew their hearts were fixed on God. Awesome!

Now when we get to heaven, just to be fair to my new friends, I've got an hour of Matt Redmond, Steven Curtis Chapman, Third Day, and Casting Crowns they get to listen to - or whatever music I'm worshipping with when I come home.

It's the language of the heart, of praise to our Loving God. Is it in you?

Grace!



David Wilson

This devotional is written by David Wilson, pastor of New Hope Baptist church in Valparaiso, FL. If you find you have received this via a forward and would like to receive it regularly, or find you no longer wish to receive it, drop me an email at dwilsonfl@earthlink.net and I'll make the change to the list. If you'd like to know more about New Hope, visit our website at www.newhopevalp.org . May God bless you.