My "Quitting Secular Music" post (link below) received the most attention of anything I've posted to date, so I decided to add a few more thoughts on the subject.
Some time ago I vowed to consecrate my musical gifts, making them accessible only to God. I decided to eschew secular music, no matter how innocent it seemed. Not because I felt that playing a country love song was a sin, but because I wanted to be able to give God something in worship that I gave no one else. I wanted my musical ability to belong to Him, similar to the way my kiss belongs only to my wife.
The idea originated from my study of the Nazarite vow in Numbers 6. God instructed Moses to speak to the people of Israel, instructing them in a way they could take a special vow, setting themselves apart to the Lord in a special way. This wasn't a command. It was an option. A choice.
Those taking this vow had three very specific instructions which I will simplify for the sake of space:
Don't drink wine
Don't cut your hair
Don't go around dead things
The purpose of this vow wasn't salvation; it was a way to intensify relationship.
I was moved by the idea of setting oneself apart and, through prayer, I came to terms with my own way of intensifying my relationship with God.
Call me crazy, but I want something fresh from God; I want more. If you want something different than what you have, you have to do something different to get it. Otherwise, you'll just keep getting the same result. My vow is my attempt to go above the norm. To go past the outer court, living in the holy of holies.
I don't have any hard, fast rules about my vow. I allow myself to be led into each situation with prayer and conviction. If it feels like I'm doing something I told God I wouldn't do, I simply decline the invitation. I always start with these questions in mind: is this song a musical offering to your God, or is it meant to entertain someone? Are you getting the glory from this or is God? Are you taking pride in what you're doing? Are you trying to impress an audience or are you trying to impress your God?
These questions have been my guide thus far. This isn't about legalism; its about pursuit. It's about getting as close to Heaven as I can while still on this earth. I'm hungry for more of God. How about you?
https://nickfrenchphr.wixsite.com/narrativesandnotions/blog/confessions-of-a-worship-musician-quitting-secular-music
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