A Christian gentleman recently wrote the following: “I’m a believer in simple and not complicated Christian music. I prefer music that focuses on the message rather than the instruments used.”

He went on to say: “I am not a fan of drowning the voice in the noise of the instruments. I want the people to hear the message of the songs. Christian music for me is not about entertainment but spreading the gospel.”

The 18th century English clergyman, Charles Wesley, one of the founders of the Methodist Movement, is best known for his talents as a hymn writer. He is said to have composed approximately 9,000 hymns.

Charles was a firm believer that good music had purpose. To Wesley that purpose was not just to entertain people but it was to glorify God. He was very critical of music that sought only to entertain.

As one modern Christian writer has said, “The history of the songs of the Bible is full of suggestion as to the uses and benefits of music and song. Music is often perverted to serve purposes of evil, and it thus becomes one of the most alluring agencies of temptation. But, rightly employed, it is a precious gift of God, designed to uplift the thoughts to high and noble themes, to inspire and elevate the soul.”

The year 2020 has caused a lot of stress and fear for so many people. When problems come into their lives they may wonder where God is; and some even wonder whether God really understands what they’re going through.

Face it, bad things do happen to good people. That’s a fact of life. The challenge is to find the Lord through those experiences, and discover where He might be leading us.

Often times, our stubbornness and our pride keep us from following the leading of the Lord in our lives.

A crisis, such as a global pandemic, has a way of redirecting our steps, and reorganizing our priorities. These crises may give us the chance to “pave the road of life with lessons that might guide others who follow.”

Many of the hymns that we sing today were born out of the sorrows and crises of history.

In 1903, a young preacher named George Young wrote and published a song entitled “God Leads Us Along.”

In the chorus, Pastor Young wrote these words, “Some thru the waters, some thru the flood, some thru the fire, but all thru the blood, some thru great sorrow, but God gives a song, in the night season and all the day long.”

After years of sacrifice and living in church parsonages, this faithful preacher and his precious wife had saved enough money to build their own house.

Pastor Young was a skilled carpenter and with a lot of hard work, their dream home was soon completed. That dream that for so long seemed impossible had finally come true.

The Youngs loved their new home, and they continued their ministry of traveling and preaching the Gospel Message.

While the preacher and his wife were on the road ministering, someone set fire to their home.

When the Youngs returned home, all they found was a pile of ashes, and all their earthly possessions were gone.

After recovering from the shock, the two of them remembered the priceless things that fire couldn’t destroy. In their suffering they were able to see God’s leading and He gave them a greater appreciation of what really is important in life.

A bad thing happened to good people because of someone else’s sin. The Youngs realized that just like Job, this was an attack of Satan.

Yet God was still leading Pastor Young; and he was led to write a song that has comforted untold thousands for over 100 years.

In shady, green pastures, so rich and so sweet,

Some thru great sorrow, but God gives a song, in the night season and all the day long.

I thank God that He leads me, that He leads my wife, and out of willful obedience, we follow His lead.

We can look at 2020 as a terrible year, or we can look at it as a challenging time of learning and personal growth.

God has promised us that He would never leave us nor forsake us.

Let me share the lyrics of two other hymns about God’s leading and provision. They were both written by a preacher’s wife, Civilla Martin.

You may know these songs. Feel free to sing along.

God Will Take Care of You

Beneath His wings of love abide, God will take care of you.

Through days of toil when heart doth fail, God will take care of you;

When dangers fierce your path assail, God will take care of you.

All you may need He will provide, God will take care of you;

Nothing you ask will be denied, God will take care of you.

No matter what may be the test, God will take care of you;

Lean, weary one, upon His breast, God will take care of you.

God will take care of you, through every day, o’er all the way. He will take care of you, God will take care of you.

Mrs. Martin wrote another well-known song, it’s one of my favorites.

She said, “I wrote the song, ‘His Eye Is on the Sparrow,’ in the company of a bedridden saint in the city of Elmira, New York. I was reading and singing to her; and during our conversation, I chanced to ask her if she did not sometimes get discouraged. She answered, ‘Mrs. Martin, how can I be discouraged when my heavenly Father watches over each little sparrow, and I know He loves and cares for me?’”

Why should I feel discouraged?

I sing because I’m happy, I sing because I’m free, For His eye is on the sparrow, And I know He watches me.