Quick disclaimer: it would not surprise me in the least if someone else has already written on this; particularly those who are in the music field. I didn't do an exhaustive search for this theme, I just wrote what was on my mind at the time.
I love music and I love to sing and I know enough to distinguish good music from bad music (I know enough to know my own singing voice is highly untrained and undisicplined. In other words, no American Idol for me!). Within the whole allowance of personal taste and opinion, I can tell when a note is missed or a rhythym is out of place. I don't enjoy the kind of heavy metal screaming type of singing, but I can appreciate the guy who can play his guitar at a zillion miles per hour in something that resembles a melody. I have favorite songs in dozens of genres and styles. I love music.
One thing I love is a good, tight harmony. I just finished listening to Celtic Woman sing "Oh, Holy Night." Incredible. I enjoy the GoFish guys as they let loose with "Little Drummer Boy." Plug in some of the gospel quartets out there and you'll hear such a seamless blending of voices, it sends chills up and down your spine. I love great harmony.
You know what I like the most about harmony? If you listen to each individual voice, they're singing something different. Each voice is making a distinct sound. But put them all together and it sounds like one smooth voice singing the song.
But here's the part that gets me: next time you hear a really close harmony, notice that the voices sound like an unbelieveably rich single voice. But if you concentrate really hard, you can actually hear each individual voice come through. Distinct voices (I can almost hear them) blending together into one voice (I can hear it).
I got to thinking about the Trinity as I was listening to "Little Drummer Boy" by GoFish. Listen, there is not a single earthly illustration of the Trinity that can fully explain the Godhead, so please do not read too much detail into this. It's just that each Person of the Godhead is distinct, but are also, at the exact same time, one voice! Just like an incredibly tight harmony, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are distinct, but one.
Once again, don't take the illustration beyond where it is supposed to go. The theologian in me can already pick this apart. But the music lover in me is in awe.
Listen to the music and glorify God.
I am a huge lover of music that has complex harmony also. I'm not a terrific singer—I can hardly carry a tune—but I will always be able to appreciate those who were gifted with this talent. And I like the interesting connection you make between the Holy Trinity and a song's harmony—it definitely gave me a lot to think about and consider.
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