Sing and be heard

 Acts 16:25 says:

About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them.

When my aunt was deep in the throes of Alzheimer's, I visited her at the nursing home where she lived.  She did not recognize me, the niece she had known and loved for my entire life.  As I talked to her, she continued to stare into a reality I couldn't see, but where her mind was living.  Then, out of nowhere, she began singing Jesus Love Me.  It was beautiful, her voice true and clear, as she sang the old familiar tune, beloved by so many.  I think that somewhere deep in her heart, she knew my voice and we connected through that song, even if she wasn't really sure who I was.

Music speaks to us on a deeper, more fundamental level than words.  There is something different about music and the way it imprints on our brains that makes it a special form of communication.  Music is so fundamental to our core being, even the angels couldn't help themselves but to sing at the nativity of Jesus.

Today I am reminded that music speaks a different language, and people will often respond to it when they won't respond to our words.  I look forward to making music my gospel message in the coming year.

Dear Lord.  Today I pray that the music I hear reflects your message of grace and goodness.  Amen.

Sing to the Lord

I am already a day behind on my commitment to do a series of reflections on Advent, but its been a busy weekend, and I ran out of energy.  Since this is intended to be a reflective thing, stress is not going to improve the situation!  So I am starting on Day 2 with a Psalm of gratitude:

I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have being.  (Psalm 104:33)

I sang my first solo, Jesus Loves Me, in church at age 3.  I thought it was fun, and it became the first of many opportunities for me to share my love of and gift for music.  I started playing around on the piano at age four, picking out chords and recognizing there were octaves and generally learning about the sounds.  My mother decided I had better learn correctly, so she got me lessons, and I began to develop a talent which I continue to use even today.

Then sings my soul....

 Advent is soon upon us, and this year, I have decided to make an intentional effort to think about Advent each and every day of December leading up to Christmas Eve.  My intent (I know, I know, the road to hell is paved with good intentions) is to choose a verse each day that is meaningful, and then do a brief reflection upon that theme.  I invite you to join me in this reflective effort.  Maybe even keep a journal for yourself of your own reflections!  Oh, and the title of this piece is a hint at what part of my focus will be!  Nothing makes my soul sing more than delving in the Bible.  Day 1 is December 1, so hold that thought...

See you in soon as we reflect on the Bible.

The rest of the story...

 I hate Twitter for multiple reasons, but the initial reason, because it represents a truncated version of the truth, remains my main objection.  Cherry picking, choosing your version of the facts, rarely results in a clear understanding of anything.  Truth takes time and discernment, a full evaluation of the evidence and material information, and careful consideration.  Twitter gives you none of that.

Many people read the Bible in the same way.  They cherry pick, truncating even a single verse to say only what they want it to say, without understanding "the rest of the story."  But the rest of the story matters.  It is important, relevant and critical to the understanding of each verse.  We should concern ourselves not only with the words on the page, but the context and meaning of phrases in their own cultural time and setting.  Words matter.

Memories

 Psalm 143:5

I remember the days of old, I think about all your deeds, I meditate on the works of your hands.  (NRSV)

Perseverance

Romans 5:3-5

“But not only that! We even take pride in our problems, because we know that trouble produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope. This hope doesn’t put us to shame, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.”

Acceptance

 Romans 8:31

God’s Love in Christ Jesus

What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us?