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 JEHOVAH [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.
One of my favorite verses says of Jesus that “He stedfastly set His face to go to Jerusalem” (Luke 9:51b). This purposeful ministry culminated in His death on the Cross, followed, of course, by His prophesied resurrection. This steadfastness is clearly a model for each Christian. “Am I a Soldier of the Cross?” presents this Biblical truth. This hymn was written by Isaac Watts and was used by him to close a sermon that he preached on I Corinthians 16:13: “Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit ye like men [be brave], be strong.” We will listen to a simple version of this song by Charlotte Mason. Because the lst two verses of the original are rarely included in modern hymnals, we have included them:
Thy saints in all this glorious war
Shall conquer, though they die;
They see the triumph from afar,
By faith they bring it nigh.
When that illustrious day shall rise,
And all Thy armies shine
In robes of victory through the skies,
The glory shall be Thine.