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Music and Identity

Yesterday I wrote about elements of jamming with other musicians in blues sets.


Not to "rain on the parade" at all, but here's "the other side of the coin" as they say.


My identity is far more "in Christ" than "musician". Being a fellow human among humans, a husband, father, grandfather and overall "a friend of all who fear You" (Psalm 119.63) are so much more my identity than musician regardless of singing, guitar playing, song writing, performing, leading worship. Please read that again.


In the many Cornerstone Festival music seminars I taught over much of the 28 year run of the fest I made it a point to de-mystify the ability to manipulate sound waves (make music) as wonderful as music indeed is -and a true gift of God. The talent and skill of musicianship is not something I have ever wished to disdain but in my personal testimony, music was as dope, booze and sexual addictions, another addiction until I began to truly follow Jesus. Why do I say this?


I had to be listening to, thinking of, writing or playing music in about 95 percent of my waking hours daily. My closest friends were musicians and everyone else was the audience or potential audience.


I never heard preaching or teaching anywhere about music or being a musician as I first came to saving faith in Jesus, but knew nearly instantly that music was an "audio drug" I needed to be free of. Could I be content with silence? Would my relationship to Jesus and a sense of my true self, true identity be one of peace and satisfaction if I wasn't constantly pimping my musical abilities, related clothing styles, constant discussion related to music and my (whatever amount of) talent?


The answer was and is YES. And Alleluia!


I've sometimes said "Worship the Lord and sometimes use music". To "be still and know that I am God", learning to pray, seek Him, study His mind via His Word (Bible) and relate to others without always focused on some element of my musician personality, in other words, focusing on JESUS and others... well I'm still working on all this but you get my point.


So- music theory being but one part of it all, you might realize math is very much involved although that's not how I personally approach it, yet I use aspects of math as well. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Music_and_mathematics) Yep.


I was frankly never in love with math. But loving the Lord and people more than music will work wonders for your character, relationships to both God and others -and bring a humanity and grace in serving both God and people via music that I'm convinced all of us need.


My identity in Him and the eternal family of God is FAR more important than anything else -including music.


How about you dear reader? Do you live for sound or for the One Who is so much more than song?


I suggest we musicians need to move deeper into relationships -vertical and horizontal- and grow in identification with our Lord Jesus rather than maintaining some sort of muso-atmosphere. Substance rather than surface.


As always, thanks for stopping by! -Glenn

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