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.
A poignant part of Valentine’s Day is the remembrance of the love lavished upon us by ones who have passed on. For some, this was the first February 14 without a cherished sweetheart or an especially close family member. A simple but thoughtful traditional Gospel song that encourages us in times of such loss is “No More Goodbyes.” For each Christian, “to be absent from the body” is “to be present with the Lord” (II Corinthians 5:8b), “and so shall we ever be with the Lord” (I Thessalonians 4:17b). In heaven, there will be no final goodbyes. Let us listen to a rendition of this song by cousins Sara and Maybelle Carter, who began recording together in 1927. This version is from 1966, and the ladies are backed by Sara’s son Joe.