As I was roaming the net today, I came across this beautiful song and thought of sharing it with others especially on praisevoice. It gave me some push forward and hope you will be encouraged as well as you listen to it and ponder the meaning behind the melody.

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God is in control by Twila Paris

This is no time for fear
This is a time for faith and determination
Don’t lose the vision here
Carried away by emotion
Hold on to all that you hide in your heart
There is one thing that has always been true
It holds the world together

God is in control
We believe that His children will not be forsaken
God is in control
We will choose to remember and never be shaken
There is no power above or beside Him, we know
God is in control, oh God is in control

History marches on
There is a bottom line drawn across the ages
Culture can make its plan
Oh, but the line never changes
No matter how the deception may fly
There is one thing that has always been true
It will be true forever

He has never let you down
Why start to worry now?
He is still the Lord of all we see
And He is still the loving Father
Watching over you and me

watching over you…watching over me..
watching over every things..
watching over you..watching over me..
every little sparrow..every little things…

Yewe mwana wa Adamu, uriho ugihumeka, mbese ntiwashimira Imana ikugejeje
Oh Son of man, wouldn’t you thank God who guards and sustains you?
aya magingo?
Abasore beza bitondaga, ba bandi beza b’imigenda abo wari uzi n’abo utamenye,
Some of the Handsome and serious young men have come and gone
bagiye ureba wumva ugenda.
and yet you survived.

Ni iki watanze mwana wa Adamu cyatumye urindwa bigeze aho
What have you given oh son of man, so you could be protected
Menya ko ari ubuntu wagiriwe, ngaho nawe ujye ushima uwo Mwami.
It is nothing but grace, so give thanks to the Lord.

Wakoze ibibi mugenzi bibaza umuremyi wawe
You’ve done evil and grieved your saviour
nyamara aracyakurinze kuko agufitiye umugambi
but He still keeps you because he has a purpose for you.
Abakobwa beza bitondaga bamwe barinze ubwari bwabo, abo wari uzi n’abo utamenye,
Beautiful and lovely girls, who minded their youthful ways
bagiye ureba wumva ugenda.
Have come and gone, and yet you survived.

Ntacyo twatanze ngo turambe, ntawaguze ayo mahirwe
We did not give anything to live this long, one of us bought that chance
kuko nabo si kubw’abo kuko ntawanga kuramuka
Even those who no longer are, wanted to stay one more day.
Abagore beza bitondaga, bari imitima y’ingo zabo, abo wari uzi n’abo utamenye Beautiful women who were the hearts of their households,
bagiye ureba wumva ugenda.
have come and gone, and yet you survived.

ABO mu rungano rwawe, BAMWE ntabwo bakiriho nyamara abenshi
Some of your age are no more, and yet many of them
muribo bakurushaga ubutungane.
were more righteous than you.
Abagabo beza bitondaga bazi gucunga iby’ingo zabo abo wari uzi n’abo utamenye
Good men who managed well their households
bagiye ureba wumva ugenda.
have come and gone and yet you survived.

The translation may not have as much of an impact as the original message, but the message spans through generations because every second of our life, we are luckier than someone else to some extend. Do we take the time to think about this amazing grace of being alive? From my understanding, it is the only reason people kill each other, steal or cause other harm to their fellow humans because they don’t grasp the idea that being alive is a gift. So, how special do you think you are that God keeps you alive?

Now, if we look at it from a spiritual perspective, the same principle applies as I will explain below.

A major aspect of human life (like other living things) is to respond to our sourounding. This comprises what we touch, smell, see, taste and hear. For instance a noisy bomb explosion is likely to disturb more a young 5 year old than an adult soldier trained (conditioned) to respond to that kind of things. It is also true that while it make cause a hike of adrenaline in the soldier’s body, it may cause a fatal panic attack in the 5 year old. If you look at it in perspective, many Christians today are exposing themselves to the poison of “any kind of music”. In other words, some think you can listen to Gospel music and heavy metal at the same time and still be fine!

To set the record straight, let me say that’s not a good idea. In itself it sounds very innocent but one has to look at it from an analytical point of view. Every song written on the face of the earth has a meaning or a story behind unless one sung it completely unconsious, which I highly doubt is possible. Therefore, when we listen to something, are exposing our ears to the story of the song writter. In Proverbs 4:23 te Bible is clear and warns us about matters of the heart “Guard your heart more than anything else, because the source of your life flows from it.” You may not give it so much thought, but think again. The Bible also tells us “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ” (Romans 10:17). In other words, what we hear determine what we believe, and what we believe determine how we feel. So, if we hear the Word of Christ we harvest Faith. The opposite is also true. Therefore, the kind of music we listen to determines what we harvest i.e Faith or “Unbelief”. Since we can’t serve two masters, mixing Godly music with “other stuff” is definetely a bad idea!

The Christian walk is a fight. It’s all by Grace as the Bible puts it, but should we let ourselves go for grace to abound? Now, how does one fight a battle at the same time “sympathizing” with the ennemy? How does Praise Music lifting up the name of the Lord cohabit with Hip hop/Rap/… junk imploring our young ones to sin and not care about anybody? From my experience, most of the music out there is based on selfish enterpratation of life. It focuses on I, me and myself. Gospel music on the other hand, implores us to consider others before ourselves because this comes automatically by Giving God His due place in our lives.

In conclusion, I would simply say “Give to Caesar what’s his and to God His glory alone because you can’t serve two masters”. What you take in determines how you feel and I would be surprised to hear someone filled with the HolY Spirit in a night club or dancing to some “worldly music”. And if you hear of one, please share the news with me!