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.
The Parable of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32) reminds us of our Savior’s interest in and kind compassion upon each one of us. Through repentance, there is a way back to God. What happens, though, if we persist in rejecting His goodness? What if we continue to pal with the pigs (verse 16a – “he would fain have filled his belly with the husks that the swine did eat”)? It is appropriate to occasionally consider where we would be if we had not responded to the call of Jesus. All that is good in us would be diminished; those things that we struggle to overcome would surely overcome us. Most importantly, of course, we would not be ready for eternity. A song that explores this theme is “Lonesome, and a Long Way from Home” by the Waterboys. It is a lyrical insight into the mind of every wayward wanderer and contains a most memorable refrain: “Lost, and lonesome, and a long, long way from home.” It falls into the category of a Victorian warning song, even though it is modern. If anyone reading this is still wandering, it is time to return home.