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February 17, 2021 7:00 pm
Nancy Gustafson, a retired opera singer, was devastated when she visited her mother and saw her decline from dementia. Her mom no longer recognized her and barely spoke. After several monthly visits, Nancy had an idea. She started singing Christmas carols. Her mother’s eyes lit up at the musical sounds, and she began singing too—for twenty minutes! Then Nancy’s mom laughed, joking they were “The Gustafson Family Singers!” The dramatic turnaround suggested the power of music, as some therapists conclude, to evoke lost memories. Singing “old favorites” has also been shown to boost mood, reduce falls, lessen visits to the emergency room, and decrease the need for sedative drugs.
More research is underway on a music-memory link. Yet as the Bible reveals, the joy that comes from singing is a gift from God—and it’s real. “How good it is to sing praises to our God; how pleasant and fitting to praise him!” (Psalm 147:1).
Throughout the Scriptures, in fact, God’s people are urged to lift their voices in songs of praise to Him. “Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things” (Isaiah 12:5). “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him” (Psalm 40:3). Our singing inspires us, but also those who hear it. May we all remember: Our God is great and worthy of praise.
Thanks for joining us for this Thursday edition of Our Daily Bread. Today's reading was written by Patricia Raybon and it's titled remember to sing Nancy Gustus and retired opera singer was devastated when she visited her mother and observed her decline from dementia. Her mom no longer recognized her and barely spoke after several monthly visits. Nancy had an idea. She started singing to her. Her mother's eyes lit up at the musical sounds and she began singing to her 20 minutes. Then Nancy's mom laughed joking they were that Gustus and family singers. The dramatic turnaround suggested the power of music as some therapists conclude to invoke lost memories singing old favorites has also been shown to boost mood, reduce falls, lesson visits to the emergency room and decrease the need for sedative drugs. More research is underway on a music memory link.
Yet, as the Bible reveals the joy that comes from singing is a gift from God.
And it's real. Psalm 147 verse one proclaims how good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him throughout the Scriptures. In fact, God's people are urged to lift their voices in songs of praise to him. Isaiah 12 five encourages sing to the Lord for he has done glorious things in the writer of Psalm 40 rejoices. He put a new song in my mouth a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him. Our singing inspires us, but also those who hear it.
May we all remember our God is great and worthy of praise, today's Our Daily Bread devotional Scripture reading is from Psalm 147 verses one through seven. Praise the Lord how good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him. The Lord builds up Jerusalem.
He gathers the exiles of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines a number of the stars and calls them each by name great is our Lord, and mighty in power. His understanding has no limit. The Lord sustains the humble, but cast the wicked to the ground sing to the Lord with grateful praise make music to our God on the heart. Now let's pray dear father in heaven we thank you for the gift of music and how it can lift our spirits and give us hope. We thank you for the power it has on the mind of those experiencing dementia and other debilitating mental disorders as we age, we pray that you would remind us to sing praises to you and the good times and the bad times so that we can be reminded of your faithfulness to all generations. It's in Jesus name that we pray. Amen. Today's encouragement was provided by Our Daily Bread ministries
