Disco Anyone?
Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. James 1:22 (NIV)
Ah, those disco years of the 70s! What fun it was with those bell-bottom jeans and jumpsuits. The music had great rhythm and the words…well, they were a little funky. In the church, the Jesus Movement was getting started. Coffeehouses were introduced and contemporary Christian music was heard in church. Pass It On was one of the first. It was a good decade. Emily E. Ryan (Mornings with Jesus) shares a delightful experience that sounds like lots of fun.
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When my husband and I went on a cruise this year with three other couples from church, I was excited to participate in my first ever silent disco. I knew the usual spin on a classic dance party was popular with teenagers and youth groups, but I’d never had the opportunity to experience the craze myself. We each got a pair of large neon headphones to wear when we arrived and instructions on how they worked. At any given time, four different songs were available through the headphones by turning a dial on the side. The fun came in choosing which song you wanted to dance to, then discovering others who were dancing to the same song.
Even with my headphones on, lost in my own little world of music, it was easy to see who was listening to the same song as I was. We’d both be moving to similar beats or mouthing identical lyrics as we responded to the music in our ears. A few times, I took my headphones completely off and was surprised that I could figure out which songs people were listening to, even in the absence of the music. Their words and actions revealed the songs in their hearts.
To me, it was a perfect picture of what it looks like when I immerse myself in the words of Jesus and read my Bible regularly. My own speech and actions begin revealing what I’m hearing, and it becomes impossible to merely listen without responding in tune.
FAITH STEP: Hone your ability to hear from Jesus by listening to worship music through headphones or earbuds. Dance if you want, praising Him.
Loving Lord, thank You for this decade of music that added a fresh new spirit in the church. Help us to respond to the rhythm of songs that praise Your Holy Name. Let us forever act upon Your words. AMEN.