Melodic Mondays
Those of you who know me know that I love music even though I am not musical myself. I listen to good music as often as I can. It is beneficial to the brain, valuable to the vocabulary, and strengthening to the soul. Isaiah 12:2-3 is a lovely passage that includes this soaring statement of surety: “The Lord JEHOVA [YAHWEH] is my strength and my song.” This could be translated, “God is my mountaintop and my music.” Yes, He is! Each Monday, I want to study this subject and suggest a song to listen to. Anyone reading this devotional has easy access to any song. (I am an exception because I do not go on a computer or other information device.) If you do not like my suggestion (and we all have different tastes), you can think of or search for one that speaks to you. Then, it can become a source of encouragement throughout the week.
If we are working for the Lord, we are merely doing what we should be doing. However, Jesus is so good that He wants to reward us for the things that we should be glad to do. The Bible speaks of an “incorruptible” crown (I Corinthians 9:25), a “crown of rejoicing” (I Thessalonians 2:19), “a crown of righteousness” (II Timothy 4:8), a “crown of life” (James 1:12), and “a crown of glory” (I Peter 5:4). We can contrast these rewards with Jesus’ “crown of thorns” (Matthew 27:29). Truly our Savior is good. An old hymn that considers the reality of reward is “Will There Be Any Stars in My Crown?” It was written by Eliza Hewitt, who wrote other well-known hymns such as “More about Jesus,” the rollicking “When We All Get to Heaven,” and “Sunshine in My Soul.” As an aside, it is interesting that female songwriters first found widespread acceptance in the field of Gospel music, in keeping with the teaching of Galatians 3:28. The rendition of today’s song by fiddler Alison Krauss and the Cox Family is a good one.