Rick Trice: Blog (Let's Talk!)

"God's Pleasure"

Posted on July 9, 2011 with 0 comments

“God’s Pleasure”

I will spring up like grass in the meadow; I will drink, and not thirst anymore.

For You have poured Your Spirit down on this dry and thirsty ground,

And I am yours.*

(Isaiah 44:4; Psalm 63:1)

I love writing songs. I particularly love finding a melody hidden in scripture. Some of the best songs of all time are derived from scripture. I, like many, often wonder what the tunes of some of the Psalms were like. What style or melodies did David like? Which ones had a driving, inspirational beat? (Like the old American Bandstand show, “it’s got a good beat, and you can dance to it”); or which ones were quiet, introspective ballads?

The Bible speaks volumes about singing praises, and songs, and the playing of instruments, particularly in praise to God the Father. Scripture extols singing the “new song.” It is no small wonder that music continues to play such a huge part of our lives, even in the ungodly world. I truly believe that our love of music is a natural, created response in us to the Creator, whether one consciously acknowledges Him or not. Someone asked me awhile back why I love playing and writing songs so much. I’ve been asked that often, and my standard response is to quote a line from that old movie, “Chariots of Fire,” where the hero (his name escapes me) is a Christian athlete competing in the Olympics, and he is asked similarly, “why do you love running so much; and why do you smile while you run?” His answer was simply, “when I run, I feel God’s pleasure.”

When I create a song, I literally feel His pleasure; His creative energy reflected in me. My favorite time of the process is while I’m writing it. Once it’s finished, the pleasure begins to fade. By the time I’m ready to start actually playing the new song for people, it’s a “golden oldie” to me, and I’m already chomping at the bit to sit down and start a new one.

“God’s Pleasure.” What is it that you find yourself enjoying to the point where you feel His presence and pleasure? Grasp that thing and hold onto it; nurture it; then repeat the process. My suspicion is that that may be just the thing God has created you to do, and uses in you to smile on others.