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 familiar Biblical account is that of Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, better known by their Babylonian names of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego (their renaming is found in Daniel 1:6-7). Their story of faith is located in Daniel 3. Arrogant King Nebuchadnezzar decreed that all people worship his image. These three godly men refused and were thrown alive into a fiery furnace. They remained alive there, miraculously sustained from any harm by the presence of God the Son (verse 25). God was honored, and the three were then promoted (verses 28-30). A simple Gospel song that summarizes this historical account is “The Fourth Man in the Fire,” written by Arthur Smith and sung by Johnny Cash.