Friday, July 6, 2012

Our Identity As Musicians


For years, one question nagged at me.  Is “musician” an identity?  On the surface, we may say no because our identity is in Christ.  Right?  Well, the Lord pointed something out to me I thought I would share.  One night, God shared a dream with me that bluntly stated that my husband, my children and I are “Descendants of Levi.”  In the dream, our DNA was tested (swabs to the cheeks) and we found out we are direct descendants of Levi.  So, we were taken to a different area where attendants explained what it meant to be descendants and what our new responsibilities as descendants are.  The dream is SO significant to my identity as a musician.

As I read the responsibilities of the Levites in Scripture, I find more amazing truths about my identity and what God has chosen me to do.  For starters, Levites are priests.  They are a royal priesthood whom God chose himself to care for the tabernacle.  The Levites also did not receive an allotment of land because God is their inheritance.  Their “income” was strictly the tithe of the Israelite community.  They lived in tents surrounding the “Tent of Meeting” where God’s glory dwelled for a time, and then at the temple once Solomon constructed it.  King David also established musicians from the Levite clan to minister before the Lord.  These musicians played day and night, 24/7; I’m sure they were on rotation since there were 4000 of them.  The study is fascinating!

Then I got thinking.  Since these musicians were chosen to play day and night at the temple, THAT was their identity.  They did not know anything else since they remained at the temple ministering before the Lord through music.  Music was even passed down from generation to generation.  Fathers taught their children the “roles and responsibilities” of the priesthood they were chosen for.  My conclusion for now is that being a musician IS an identity in Christ.  Levites are truly worship leaders according to scripture because the Israelites who desired God followed the Levites to Jerusalem to worship. Those of us who desire to minister before the Lord as musicians have a fascinating calling.  Check it out in the scriptures!  It’s awesome!

So, I’m curious to hear from others:
* What is your identity?
* Do you see being a musician as an identity in Christ?
* How did God reveal your identity to you?
* As a musician, how do you see yourself?
* What does it mean to be a Levite musician today?

7 comments:

  1. Over the past few years I have been feeling a "nudge" from God to share his word through music. Along this journey I have also been feeling God teaching me a little about patience as well. When I want something, I want it now! I keep reminding myself that patience is a fruit of the spirit and I just need to let God do his thing with me, musically and spiritually.
    Being a Levite musician to me means that you should have really calloused fingers, if you are a string player. In no other time have we needed God's word shared to people through the arts, than we do now. I will go so far as to say that it may not even need to be God's word as much as it needs to just be clean, positive, uplifting or encouraging. If you look at the direction of our society, I think there is a direct correlation between the arts and the road we are traveling. WE as Levite musicians/Christian musicians HAVE to put ourselves out there.....NOW! I think that is one of the biggest ways that we will find our identity if we haven't already. Anyone want to jam?

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    1. Hey Tom!! Thanks for stopping by. :-) It's awesome you are recognizing God's nudge into what he desires of you. You're certainly on the right track. Keep pressing in to God. He'll answer you!

      There is so much more depth to being a Levite musician than most of us realize. When we read the Old Testament texts, it was their livelihood. The Levites literally lived off of the tithe of the Israelite community. They were also chosen by God to devote their time 24/7 to the care of the tabernacle from the furnishings to the music. Translating that to today's culture would be worse than a train wreck. :-) So, the biggest struggle for Christian musicians today is figuring out how to go back to how God designed it.

      Here's the bad news, we can't. At least not in the western culture. We have to keep in mind that this is something we cannot enforce. Here's the good news: I believe God is drawing musicians together for a kingdom reason. It's not record sales, it's not evangelism, it's not even a church draw. He desires us to worship him in ONE spirit.

      We'll see in the Old Testament that the Levites were in charge of calling others to come worship. When the trumpets sounded, the community came together to worship the Lord. I believe, at least for now, that God is gathering musicians with a heart after his to simply worship him together. THEN, the church as a whole will follow the musicians to worship the Lord. It's a long process for sure. I'm curious to know who else has this calling.

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  2. Melanie,
    I failed to mention anything about your dream. I think it is AWESOME the way God speaks to us, whether through dream, signs, etc. Thanks for sharing that with us and maintaining this forum for us to share our thoughts.

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  3. God's gifts and callings are without repentance. If you are chosen by God to be gifted to be a worshiper on an instrument, vocally or through dance, I'd say your identity is all over you. Not every musician is called. It takes sensitivity to the leadings of the Holy Spirit in praise and worship. Ehhh, probably all I should say about that:) You are ministering to God and to the souls and spirits of the congregation; not something to be taken lightly!

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    1. Amen! I hope I did not come across as saying this calling is for every musician. Although we are all called to worship, we all worship in various ways as you mentioned. As for me, I love how God spoke to me in a dream declaring I am a "descendant of Levi." It's makes a HUGE difference when walking in this journey.

      Thanks for sharing.

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  4. Hi Melanie! You've commented on http://www.cyber-soul.com before - we'd love to have you back as we've re-launched. See today's post!

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    1. Thanks for connecting, Vicky! Love your blogs! I'll try to be better this time of keeping up. Blessings to you and your ministry!

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