Consecrate My Performance – Scriptures for Musicians

After the gig the other night (see my Studio Blog), I got to thinking about performance and the nature of music. I got to thinking about motivations, and the purity of the music itself.

And I was reminded of a scripture I read not too long ago. It really grabbed me because of the word choice. Nephi uses the word “performance” referring to do any task for the Lord. Home Teaching, preparing a Sunday School Lesson, having Family Home Evening… But as a musician, the term “performance” has a more direct, more literal meaning. It means, well, my performance. Here’s the verse:

“But behold, I say unto you that ye must pray always, and not faint; that ye must not perform any thing unto the Lord save in the first place ye shall pray unto the Father in the name of Christ, that he will consecrate thy performance unto thee, that thy performance may be for the welfare of thy soul.” --2 Nephi 32:9

In other words, if I’m performing prayerfully, then that performance is consecrated to MY benefit as well as the benefit of the listeners, and the growth of the Kingdom of God. As I type, that reminds me of yet another scripture…

“Nevertheless, ye are blessed, for the testimony which ye have borne is recorded in heaven for the angels to look upon; and they rejoice over you, and your sins are forgiven you.” --D&C 62:3

So, if I’m bearing testimony in my song, and I’m doing so prayerfully, then my performance is for the welfare of my soul, and my sins are being forgiven. These were concepts that, while I knew, hadn’t really sunk in yet, and I hadn’t really applied to the music. If I pray and sing, and bear testimony in my songs, then I consecrate and purify my soul.

Wow.

Let me tell ya… If I ever knew anyone whose soul needed purifying, it’s me! It’s nice to think that I can get that for a song!

MRKH
Mark Hansen
http://markhansenmusic.com/