Singing My ABC’s

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.” Colossians 3:16

Do you remember the first time you started to say your “ABC’s”? Could you remember all of the letters in their correct order when you first started to learn them? It took you a little while, I’m sure. Were there any specific ways that helped you to learn the alphabet?

I know that I myself learned the alphabet by listening to and singing the “alphabet song.” By incorporating a melodious rythm and music, the letters in the alphabet became embedded into my memory, and today I know them all by heart.

Have you ever heard a commercial on the radio or television of some company advertising their product or service? Many times, these commercials will include some kind of melody or “jingle” to help promote their product. This is to try to get their potential customers to remember their product. To be honest, I have heard some of these “jingles” so many times that they have even become quite annoying, but I do remember every word in them. Long after the commercial ends, the song remains inside my mind.

Music has been used for thousands of years as a teaching tool, and it is a great way to remember things. The Book of Psalms has been used to write many, many hymns which we still sing today.

And what Paul wanted the church to do was to teach and admonish each other with these psalms, hymns, and songs. He wanted the word of the Lord to dwell in them richly through the use of music and singing.

“Dwell” means “to live; to reside; to abide; to remain; to continue.”

Paul was writing to the Colossian church to have the word of the Lord dwelling inside of them, and not just to dwell in them, but to dwell in them richly. Do you know what that means?

“Rich” means “abundant, plentiful, or abounding.”

He wanted them to be overflowing with the word of Christ, and Paul told them to use their voices to sing about our faith in Jesus. About Christ’s love, about loving one another, about being someday with the Lord in Heaven. If it is found in the scriptures, put it to song, and it will definitely help you to remember it better.

“I will praise the LORD according to his righteousness: and will sing praise to the name of the LORD most high.” Psalm 7:17

“Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.” Psalm 9:11

“I will sing unto the LORD, because he hath dealt bountifully with me.” Psalm 13:6

Sing to the Lord praising Him for all of His many blessings. We all can find something that we can be thankful for. 

“Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.” Hebrews 2:12

Have a scripture that you would like to memorize? Pick a verse or two out of the scriptures and turn it into a song for the Lord. Because just like my ABC’s, eventually you will know them by heart.

In Christ,

Andrew