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.
I connect many songs to particular events and, especially, particular people. One such hymn is “Precious Lord, Take My Hand.” When my Uncle Gordon died, no one in the family felt that they could sing at his graveside service (even though some of them are gifted musicians). My uncle was a good guitarist, and it didn’t seem right not to have any music as we remembered him. Thus, I sang this song (and somehow managed to stay in tune). The story behind the song is a sad one. Thomas Dorsey, the writer, was away from home on tour. He got a call that his wife had died during childbirth. He rushed home, but that night his baby boy also died. He buried both mother and son in the same coffin. A few days later, he composed this honest heartfelt hymn, which reminds me of Matthew 14:22-32, particularly verse 31. Many fine versions exist. The one by Aretha Franklin is especially moving.