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.
Proverbs 14:12 says, “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” This kind of Biblical warning was the basis for many older hymns and Gospel songs. Modern Christian music usually ignore this Biblical and musical tradition (and, in my opinion, has replaced triumph with triumphalism – not a good trade). I like warning songs, especially when the singer is providing a personal testimony rather than trying to blame someone else. One effective warning song is “The Wrong Road” by the Hall Brothers, Roy and Jay. Their version was recorded in 1938, before they became known as Roy Hall and His Blue Ridge Entertainers.