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.
Previous generations spent considerable time writing and singing about heaven. These songs took Biblical teaching about heaven seriously and often were quite detailed. Revelation 21:12 speaks of “twelve gates” to the heavenly city, with three in each direction (verse 13). The picture of the walled city is one of security, and the number of gates promises immediate access to all believers. Old Testament believers are referenced in “the twelve tribes of the children of Israel” (verse 12), and Christians are referred to in the foundations with “the names of the twelve apostles of the Lord” (verse 14). The simple song “Twelve Gates to the City” focuses on the reality of these verses. The short version by Ralph Stanley is a fine rendition of this traditional song.