Ephesians 5:18-20
“Don’t drink too much wine. That cheapens your life. Drink the Spirit of God, huge drafts of him. Sing hymns instead of drinking songs! Sing songs from your heart to Christ. Sing praises over everything, any excuse for a song to God the Father in the name of our Master, Jesus Christ.”
“Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Paul’s exhortation to drink responsibly implies the first century church drank wine. He warns against addiction, a risk with anything that gives us pleasure. The implication is Spirit controlled Christians ought to be able to control their consumption.
I must sing more often. (The Christian faith is the only one that includes singing in worship.) That means I must make the effort to memorize words. My head is increasingly stuffy, as if filled with cotton so it will not be easy. But the joy of praising my Master Jesus is powerful motivation. I’d like to be able to use any excuse for a song.
Lord, thank you for my voice. Grant me intellectual energy to memorize. Help me sing more. I sense it will become increasingly important as aging strips me of other forms of expression. This aging thing is hard. Help me do it well, for your glory.