Worship Through Music...One Of The Best Ways

I've been attending church on Sundays for the past 53 years--it'll be 54 in a couple of weeks. Sure, there were times when I missed. I've had many jobs that have kept me from going, and, of course, other things have prevented me from going. But, in general, I go more than I don't.

Today's meeting was special.

All we did was sing.

Okay, it wasn't all we did. We had the usual activities found in a Latter-Day Saint Sunday sacrament meeting. Usually, there's between 30 - 40 minutes of talks, and an occasional musical number. I don't know who came up with it, but this morning for the "talk" section of the meeting, we sang songs. They asked for members to come to the pulpit and introduce the song they would like to sing and explain a little why that particular song was so special to them.

I loved it.

A mentor once told me that the reason we have musical theater is because some stories require that emotional "punch" only music can provide. He said we sing to express emotions that ordinary speaking cannot deliver. Those thoughts came to me as the Sunday service continued. The music adds a feeling, a spirit, that talks just can't match. I wanted to go up and have the congregation sing a Christmas song, but someone beat me to it. Good for him. After all, on the night of Christ's birth, the shepherds heard concourses of angels singing, "Glory to God on high, and on earth, peace good will towards men." Now, that's how to worship.

I understand why we can't do this sort of thing every week, but I wish we could. Worshiping through music...there's not much better.