A short while ago I did a post here regarding a new project I had been working on. The post was called "A New EP on the horizon". I've since come to call this project "Songs of Solomon". God has been incredibly gracious with me in this new endeavor. When God first began prodding my heart with this project I have to admit that there was some sinful reticence within me. These reservations were largely self-conscious items of concern. The purpose of this project was to create Bible based, God-centered, love songs from husband to wife (and vice versa). But I had to ask myself, "Is it okay to do something like this and then give it to other people?" I worried that putting these songs in the hands of our fellowship, and for mass distribution on the internet, could have negative effects. I don't want anyone to think of these songs like some kind of gimmick to give me an excuse to write sappy love songs. My aim with this music, as is the aim of all the music that God has given to me, is to return it to him in worship for the sake of glorifying him.
To Married Couples: I encourage you to take this music and allow it to take you straight to the Bible. Open the Song of Songs and read it together. Learn how God intends love between husband and wife to appear before Him and the world. Learn how God intends sexuality to be conducted. Some may read the words of Solomon and say, "Well that just sounds like some newlywed couple...wait till they've been together about 10 or 15 years...they won't be like that then...how much you wanna bet they won't be saying all that then?" If you are such a person then please know (and I say this with sincere love) that the problem with your perception lies within your own heart, not the sentiments of Solomon. In other words, if you no longer look upon your spouse in the way that Solomon and his bride see one another then something is not right. In all things that you do, ground them in a firm biblical foundation so that you would not stumble constantly over sin and fall under condemnation.
To Singles: Let these words wash your mind clear of any doubt in how God regards marriage, love, and sexuality. Notice that the only acceptable context for sexuality that is given to us in the Bible appears here in the Song of Solomon. That "proper context" is marriage. O how I needed the words of Solomon when I was 17. For so much of my non-married life I was completely wrong about God's design for sexuality. I was equally as wrong about God's design for love. When we're single we convince ourselves of so many things that aren't true. Even when we're "involved" we convince ourselves of so many things that aren't true. Sinfulness always clouds the issues that matter. Too often single people and unmarried couples convince themselves of lies. It's more difficult for the pervasiveness of sin to break through when you have the word of God steadfastly stored in your heart. So I encourage you, if you're living in a sinful relationship, if you're committing rampant sexual sin, if you've perverted the concept of love in your mind, please stop. Stop pursuing unrighteousness. Seek the cousel of God in prayer and in His word. Begin learning how it is that you can pursue righteousness in your life, especially your ineractions with the opposite sex. Begin glorifying God with your whole self.
Below you'll find four very rough tracks from the Songs of Solomon project. There are only two more left to write and once I've completed writing them I'll rough them out on my digital recorder and then post them here on the net. I just recorded vocals and acoustic guitar. This will give you the idea of how the songs will eventually be. Think of these recordings like reference sketches. I use them to help me remember what I did that I liked so that I can re-capture it in later recording. One of the songs (Beautiful) has a long break in the middle of it for an instrumental solo to be added later. Again, that's just part of the sketching process. Check these tunes out at will...feel free to let me know what you think...I'm always up for constructive criticism. I hope you enjoy these works in progress...
Comments