| Good Morning Everyone, Our theme for this month: “You are loved” Our Bible verse for today: “I will sing about the Lord’s faithful love forever ….” Psalm 89:1 (CSB) Our thought for today: “Let the music carry you away” This will be the third day in a row that I’ve written about music being a way in which God enables us to experience His love. I’ve done so because that has been my own experience recently. Last week I concluded three weeks of vacation. It was restful and renewing and I’m grateful for having had the time off. But this vacation was different from previous years. Because of the COVID 19 pandemic, our travel options were limited and we spent most of the time at home. But that turned out to be a good thing. I slept more and later than usual; I completed some projects I had been putting off for a while; and I enjoyed the freedom of going hiking, kayaking, motorcycle riding, or out on my mountain bike whenever I felt like it. Another thing I did which I haven’t done in a very long time is I spent hours lying in a deck chair, looking up at the trees and sky, and listening to soothing and relaxing music through headphones (smooth jazz, Christian worship, etc.). But I wasn’t just listening to the music as background while I did something else. Instead, I really listened – deeply. I noticed each instrument; I listened closely to the voices of the singers; I thought about the words being sung; and I allowed myself to get caught up in and carried away by the music. The best sessions were the ones I spent with a collection of worship songs by Michael W. Smith. Michael calls his worship songs “prayer songs” because each one is a prayer set to music. It was moving and relaxing and a great time of communion with the Lord. Then I remembered that I used to do this all the time. Listening to music used to be a regular part of my time with Him. But that was back before I allowed myself to get so busy. It was when I wasn’t in such a rush all the time. It’s vitally important for the health of our relationship with God to slow down and place ourselves in a position before Him whereby He can speak to us – a time when He has our full and undivided and thoughtful attention. It’s during times like those that we come to actually experience His love for us in real and heartfelt ways. Music can bring us to that place. I’m making music a regular part of my personal time with the Lord again. I encourage you to try it too. God Bless, Pastor Jim |
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