Why Is There Music?

Twenty-five months ago, as I lay on a table in an operating room preparing to have one of my vital organs removed, there was nothing wrong with it, my son just needed it more than I did, the anesthesiologist asked me if I had any questions. I was already a bit foggy, as they had begun my sedation while I had still been upstairs in my room. But I was with it enough to respond with a question, and I am sure it was one the doctor never anticipated.

When asked if I had any questions I replied, "Actually, yes, I do. Why is there music?" After a few moments of silence while the doctor tried to figure out if I was serious, or if it was the sedative at work, she responded haltingly, "Well, uh, we play music in the OR to relieve some of the tension, it helps us all to relax." But that wasn't what I had meant, "No, doctor, I mean why is there music? Why does music exist?" Growing more apprehensive about her crazy patient, the doctor valiantly tried to keep me calm by offering her best guess, "I suppose music exists because people feel like making it." It wasn't the time for a lengthy discussion, so I quickly shared my belief about why there is music, "Music exists because God created it for His pleasure, and ours, and to glorify Himself." Silence for a few awkward moments. Then the anesthesiologist said, "Oh. Hmmm. Well, that's interesting." And she quickly opened up the IV and sent me off to dreamland as fast as she could.

I love music. And I have considerable muscial talent. Oh, I can't play any instrument, and my voice, well its made for the printed word, not for song. But I am a great listener of music. 45s, LPs, tapes, CDs, I have them all. Country, classical, jazz, rock, sacred, just no disco or hip-hop. Can't carry a tune in a bucket, but I can with my Walkman. And I'm so thankful that God gave us music. And I'm thankful that God gave us musicians. It was the sounds of the music that God created in nature that inspired our ancestors to hum, whistle, snap there fingers, bang on a log, blow on a reed.

Around our house we are surrounded by music. We are fortunate to have trees full of birds who joyfully serenade us each day. And we are blessed to have a daughter who is one of those musicians God created. Although she is away at college studying and performing music most of the time, semester breaks and summers offer the opportunity to hear Jamie's lively flute at any hour of the day. And Jamie is one of the reasons I know God craeted music, because I know she didn't inherit any musical gifts from me, she arrived, nearly 23 years ago, with the musical gifts already hard-wired in by her Creator.

Well, one of these days I'll figure out how to add some links to this blog so you can visit the website that Jamie and her musical partner, Jojo (an awesome classical guitarist from Brasil) have. And maybe I'll find out how to insert a link to a music file to make this blog more pleasurable for us all. And to glorify God.