150 years after its controversial debut, Handel’s Messiah was said to have “probably done more to convince thousands of mankind that there is a God . . . than all the theological works ever written.” Let’s peek at the creation of that masterpiece to discover how you and I might use our creative gifts to serve others, sometimes by miraculous or inspired breakthroughs.
Amy Kuebelback, a liturgical musician whose writing appeared in today’s entry of Give Us This Day, reports that Handel composed this sacred work in three weeks, not leaving his house and barely eating. In other words, this wasn’t like any ordinary day’s work; composing Messiah was a breakthrough of monumental proportions! Inspired by scripture, the consoling first words of the oratorio come directly from the King James version of the Book of Isaiah, Chapter 40. As Amy puts it, “The notes of the aria paint the meaning of the words, leaping up for mountains, making jagged intervals for crooked and sustained tones for straight and plain. . . . Legend has it that after finishing the Hallelujah chorus, [Handel] sobbed at his desk and told his servant: ‘I did think I did see all Heaven before me, and the great God himself.'” Structured like an opera but without drama or speech, the prophecies of Isaiah precede the annunciation to the shepherds, based on the Gospels. Part II focuses on Christ’s Passion, ending with the “Hallelujah” chorus, and Part III covers the resurrection of the dead and Jesus’ glorification. Despite the scriptural basis of Messiah, its 1743 debut was called blasphemous because it opened in a secular theater with secular performers. However, Messiah went on to become one of the best-known and most frequently performed choral works in Western music. It has no doubt stirred many a heart and soul.
The heart is the key. Ephesians 2:10 that says we are the Lord’s handiwork, created to do good works that God planned in advance for us to do. I wonder whether George Frideric Handel was aware of his mission as a composer: to evangelize with his music for centuries! I wonder if he pondered Psalm 28 before, during, or after composing wMessiah.
The Lord is my strength and my shield;
my heart trusts in him, and he helps me.
My heart leaps for joy,
and with my song I praise him.
~Ps. 28:7 (NIV)
This Psalm assures us with bold promises: divine protection, strength, assistance and God’s super-power added to our natural gifts, resulting in exhilarating joy—as long we put our hearts into our creativity with trust in God and God’s promises. To do that, let us ask for the inspiration we need, believing it will be done for us, and giving thanks before we’ve even seen the full manifestation. Let’s create in alignment with the holy will that endowed us with our creative gifts and inclinations. This is best done by doing some prayer, meditation, or centering before we undertake our creative endeavors. 20 minutes of spiritual preparation can save many hours of trial and error!
After reading about Handel in this morning’s Quiet Time, I asked my husband to try to get us tickets to attend a San Francisco performance of Messiah this season either at the San Francisco Symphony or at Grace Cathedral. If we succeed, Hallelujah! Even if we can’t attend live, we’ll download it on iTunes. Either way, I’ll listen with my heart as open as my ears!
If you’d like to discover more about How Faith and Creativity Connect in the Heart, you’d probably love my 90-minute seminar and workbook offered here.