The Songs We Listen To

~ By Tahirah

This morning my Bible reading came from the book of Amos.  I had one of those moments where I saw something I never noticed before.  In chapter 6 God says,

⁴"Woe to those who lie on beds of ivory

    and stretch themselves out on their couches,
and eat lambs from the flock
   and calves from the midst of the stall,
⁵ who sing idle songs to the sound of the harp
   and like David invent for themselves instruments of music,
⁶ who drink wine in bowls
   and anoint themselves with the finest oils,
   but are not grieved over the ruin of Joseph!
⁷ Therefore they shall now be the first of those who go into exile,
   and the revelry of those who stretch themselves out shall pass away." ESV

All day long I thought about the first part of verse 5.  It made me consider the type of music to which I listen.  I mostly listen to the local Christian radio station but every so often I get on YouTube and check out a video from an artist whose focus is anything but Christ.  While I do not believe in setting up a "doctrine" of acceptable music, I believe this verse asks us to consider our choices of "entertainment" especially in light of our fallen world.  In today's world we can substitute many other idle pass-times  for "idle songs".  We often watch "idle television/movies", play "idle games", and surf "idle websites".  James says in chapter 4 that our lives are like a mist that is here for a little while and then vanishes, and they really are.  On the side of the road I see memorial crosses to young teens and men and women who were killed in car accidents.  It seems weekly there is a death of a celebrity and of course we all know of loved ones and others who have passed on.  We do not have long on this earth, what activities would be acceptable to the Lord?  When we meet the Father will we be ashamed of all the time He gave us that we wasted on pursuits contrary to Him?  Will He say we were more concerned with the latest idle pursuit than with the lost and dying world?  I pray He will change my heart to be more motivated to be about His business, and not wasting His time He gave me pursuing idle songs.