Listening to Only Christian Music: One Year Bible Reading for March 22

 Today we read from these verses in the One Year Bible:

Numbers 33:40-35:34
Luke 5:12-28
Psalm 65:1-13
Proverbs 11:23

Let's look at Numbers. First, we're given a list of places that the children of Israel camped as they are moving toward the promised land. And then we're told of their plans and actions in completely destroying the cultures that were in the land before they moved in.

Now, we can see the reason they did this, right? There was pagan worship and evil idols worshipped in the land they were entering, and the children of Israel were not the best at avoiding worshipping idols. So God commanded them to get rid of them all.

Today, we can see a similar action when Christians decide to give up "secular" music and/or stop going to R rated movies or any movies at all. Most people I know who take their faith seriously and really want to follow Jesus have restricted their music and movie consumption at some point. Some people feel like they're called to not ever listen to anything but Christian music ever again. Some people go through a time when they get rid of their old albums, but then as they grow in their faith they feel as though it's OK to reintroduce other types of music into their lives.

Here's where it's important to realize that Christianity is a relationship between us and God. It's not going to look exactly the same in all of our lives. While God may call John to stop listening to anything but Christian music for the rest of his life, He may call Jane to listen to all types of music and use music to build relationships with people. So it's important to let other people follow the way God is calling them to relate to Him, and not look down our nose at people who don't do it the same way we do.

God, thanks for calling all of us to holiness - but not exactly the same way.