Strength & Song
December 24th, 1914, the tune of Silent Night is heard by British soldiers in the German language, leading to a momentary truce in the trenches of World War 1. Over 100,000 soldiers put down their guns for the day, exchanged makeshift gifts, buried their friends whose bodies lay in no-man’s land, and traded Christmas carols rather than bullets.
According to Time magazine, a British soldier later remarked, “I then came to the conclusion that I have held very firmly ever since, that if we had been left to ourselves there would never have been another shot fired.” Adolf Hitler, a Corporal not yet risen to power, thought the exchange a sign of weakness not fit for honorable Germans in the midst of war. (You can read more of the Time article here.) Sometimes, like the British soldier, we feel stuck fighting battles we never would have chosen for ourselves.
So, why am I relating a Christmas story as we head into the sunny/rainy months of spring? Because, as I thought about the verse above (Psalm 118:14) I thought of how often music is used in battle. Soldiers sing as they march. Horns were blown as the Israelites marched around the fated walls of Jericho in Joshua 5 & 6. Marching bands (now associated with parades and football games) originated as groups who literally marched into battle, waving the banner (Latin origin of the word “band”) of their cause and spurring troops on to victory.
Often enough, life IS and feels like a battle field! Whether we are personally fighting for our lives against an illness, or have friends/relatives fighting similar battles. Or we’re fighting inner battles against hurts, wounds, shame or sin from our past. Perhaps we’re fighting voices in our head that say we’re not “enough” or that we’re not “loved.” People fight battles against depression, anxiety, anger, fatigue, eating disorders, addictions. As Pat Benatar once sang, even “Love” is a battle field.
And on this battle field of life, we need music! We need the rhythm of words of encouragement to step up our beat when our feet trudge the long miles of a rough road (1 Thessalonians 5:11). We need a banner waving in the wind, reminding us that we’re not alone but are cheered on by a great cloud of witnesses (Hebrews 12:1). We need silent, holy nights of respite to rest our heads (and our hearts), gaining strength for the next day of battle (Psalm 4:8). We need truth sung and spoken over us when Satan’s lies are like flaming arrows aimed straight at us (Ephesians 6:10-18).
I love Psalm 118:14 because it sums up our best defense in all battles! “The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.” There is another verse in Psalms (Psalm 20:7-8) which says, “Some trust in chariots and some in horses, but we trust in the name of the Lord our God. They collapse and fall, but we rise and stand upright.” We can put our trust in just about anything. But only God himself is able to protect and strengthen us. Anything else we trust in will collapse and fall (and we along with it). However, when we hand our weakness, our fear of failure, etc. over to God and rely on His strength it’s a game-changer! Isaiah 40:31 states: “Those who wait on the Lord will renew their strength; they shall rise up with wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.”
But God isn’t just our strength; He is also our song! In the midst of the trenches, we can raise our voice and sing. Praising God disarms Satan. It frustrates him and throws him off balance. When I am anxious and overwhelmed, my mom often says, “Pause now. Pray. Then sing the Doxology out loud. It always helps!” And she’s right! The words of the Doxology are: Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above, ye heavenly host. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost! Amen. As I pray and sing, my heart begins to calm. Hitler didn’t understand the God of the universe. He understood only war and lust for power. Satan doesn’t understand the God of the universe. John 1:5 says, “A light shines in the darkness (Jesus), and the darkness has not overcome it.” Or, some translations say, “the darkness has not understood it.” Whichever way you translate it, it means that Satan’s power and understanding are limited. The simple act of singing praise to God is powerful. It fights battles. The God who is our song fights our battles for us. The God who is our strength and our song saves us!
About the Artwork
The violin above was painted for a friend of mine who leads worship at our church. She also happens to be a mom, pastor’s wife, and a nurse. I had an old, cracked violin someone gave me years ago (when people know you’re an artist, they give you random stuff to paint on). Her recent birthday seemed like a good excuse to finally use that old violin. The process took a lot longer than I’d anticipated, including sanding surfaces and wood-burning the verse into the front. And I went through several failed designs and color-schemes before the final coat of paint you see here. The plum blossoms are in honor of her heritage (she was born in Korea). Violin represents her love of music and the fact that she plays that particular instrument. The rich color-scheme was based on recommendations from her husband. In the year or two that I’ve known her, I’ve seen her live out Psalm 118:14 on a daily basis. Because God is her strength and her song, she can pour out His love for her onto other people.
molliebozarth 