“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.”
Colossians 3:16
Ah, music. The wonderful and organized pattern of sounds that creates melodies and harmonies which pull on our heartstrings.
It is truly a wonderful and magnificent gift that our Lord has given to us, His kids. And because it is a gift from God, He uses it to help people grow in faith.
One particular person He pulled closer to Him through music was me!
A Death Metal Fan Finds Christian Rock
Let me give you a brief history of my music taste. In my early years, I loved edgy death metal and heavy metal tracks.
- Strobel, Lee (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
Everything changed when I listened to Sabaton’s “The Last Stand.” It is about the story of the brave 189 Papal Swiss Guard, who sacrificed their lives to serve God by protecting Pope Clement VII during the Sack of Rome in 1527.
The heroism of these guards, who gave their lives so willingly to a great cause, moved me.
The song may not be explicitly Christian, but it did spark something in me. A few years went by, and I started to listen to Skillet, a famous Christian rock band. I loved two songs in particular, “Feel Invincible” and “Legendary,” because they make me feel reassured that God is always there to protect me and guide me.
I was hooked on Christian music.
But something was still missing.
Music from Church History
Because I am a huge Christian history nerd, I tried to listen to the songs medieval Christians might have heard.
I listened to medieval and Renaissance Christian music and other historical Christian songs like “Pater Noster” (the Lord’s Prayer in Latin), “Agni Parthene,” “Levanta Pascual,” and “Le Rois Louis.” But what stood out the most was “Palästinalied” by Walther von der Vogelweide.
“Palästinalied” is a 13th-century German song about a crusader’s experience while traveling to the Holy Land. The narrator states that, despite his sinfulness, his life now has worth because he is walking in the land where Christ walked as a man.
The crusader does not sing about his bravery and conquests; he sings about how blessed and humbled he is. He doesn’t even push for Christians to own the Holy Land, stating that it should be for God to decide. He even recounts the story of Christ from birth to resurrection.
This song made me realize what was missing in me as a Christian. Throughout my life, I always thought of my faith in terms of what God would do for me. Now, it was as if God spoke to me through that song about how I should live as a Christian.
I came away with three spiritual realizations:
1. Even in my sinfulness, God is still there with me.
Like the crusader who, despite his sinfulness, was blessed to walk in the land where Christ walked, God blesses me even in my imperfections.
2. My life is about my relationship with God, not my achievements.
The narrator does not talk about his strength and military prowess because it means nothing compared to his piety and relationship with God.
3. There are things that only God can decide.
As the crusader leaves the issue of the Holy Land up to God, we should also understand that not everything is in our control.
Together, these truths helped me have a more profound relationship with the Lord. Now I am trying to live by the example set by the German crusader in the song.
Give the song a try! Perhaps you may see what I saw and learn what I learned. God may be using music to speak to you, as well.
Leave a Comment