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.
What an absolute difference the birth of Jesus has made in human history! Think of the day before His nativity. Rough Romans enforced the emperor’s edicts, weary folks traversed many miles merely to be taxed, and no Savior appeared. Then, in one night, the promise of God was fulfilled (Luke 2:10-12). Life was still as difficult as before, but now there was hope – Biblical hope, God’s hope, which is a certainty. The upbeat “Christmas Day in the Morning” well captures this dramatic shift in mood and reality. I like the instrumental version by a group of musicians brought together on an album called New England Christmastide. They use a variety of traditional instruments, including concertinas, guitars, banjos, recorders, and violins. Once again, YouTube doesn’t like my music. We will have to listen to another version from an album entitled Irish Christmas.