Songs of Praise

I was just playing a few worship songs here at home and thinking again how much I love singing them. There are a few I know “by heart” (more or less!) and it’s such a joy to be able to pick up my guitar and just play and sing these songs: How Great Thou Art; Blessed Be Your Name; Light of the World and Lead Me – plus a few others I needed a chord chart for!

I am very conscious that I am very fortunate to be able to play a bit and sing a bit (hold a tune at least!) and of course to have a few guitars to play. My go-to guitar is my first proper guitar and that’s because it doesn’t need any plugging in and it sits out ready all the time. I bought it when I was about 16, from memory, from a store in Liverpool – one that dates right back to Beatles days!

So I’ve had this pretty basic, relatively cheap guitar (a Fender Gemini II, for guitar nerds out there) all these years and I guess that whatever I paid for it, it’s about the best money I’ve ever spent, having given me what… over 35 years of joy and consolation.



To be honest, I have probably spent a lot longer singing various rock and pop songs than worship songs on it, but I’ve discovered that a lot of rock and pop songs could just as easily be sung to God, or we could imagine Him singing them to us. Regardless of what the songwriter intended when he or she wrote the song, once it’s out there, interpretations are up for grabs!

Knowing the joy of being able to play an instrument and sing along, I find it hard to imagine not being able to and wish that everyone could get a taste of this kind of joy. Maybe it’s not for everyone, or maybe a broom handle and a hairbrush will suffice… but I hope you’ll listen to some music this weekend and maybe look for God in it. He pops up in the most unlikely places!

By the way, perhaps you have an old guitar kicking about the place or another instrument… or maybe you’ve been thinking about learning? I’d really encourage you to try, to make a start and to stick with it. Like many things, it rewards you for the time invested. Oh, and if you do try the guitar let me give you the warning that no-one ever gave me – it really hurts your fingertips at first. It’s not just you, it really is like that for everyone! But persist – and eventually you’ll be able to play for hours and barely notice.

And even if you decide to stick to a broom handle and a hairbrush, find a quiet place you can be by yourself, put some music on and really go for it. It’s great therapy and, if you turn your mind to God, it can also be a beautiful time of prayer and worship.

Much love,

Simon