11.08.07
“WHERE’S THE MELODY?”
Ephesians 5:17-21
“Therefore do not be unwise, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.”
I was in the office working on the computer when Joyce called to me. “Honey, come and listen to this. It is classical guitar and I know that is one of your favorites. I was in eager anticipation thinking it may be a piece by Andres Segovia, who is a brilliant classical guitarist.
It was a bitter disappointment to hear the sound from the classic FM station. It was a classical guitar, but the sound was anything but enjoyable. There seemed to be no melody—only a jumble of notes that lacked purpose. It took only a few seconds for me to seek the solitude of my office. Joyce was also quick to turn it off.
Since then I have been thinking about the lack of melody in the lives of many people. This is reflective in many areas of life and echoed in modern music. The thud–thud and ding–ding of modern music seems to cry out that there is a lack of melody and harmony around us.
Please do not tell me that it is because of all of the pain and suffering. Some of our greatest hymns have been written in the pressure cooker of affliction. I am thinking of one hymn which fits today’s Daily-E-Votional perfectly. Luther Bridgers wrote the words and music to, “There’s Within My Heart A Melody” shortly after the tragic death of his wife and three sons.
A native of North Carolina, he began preaching at the age of seventeen. Recognizing his need of higher education, he attended Asbury Seminary. For the rest of his life, he would serve as a pastor and evangelist in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He married and had three sons.
Luther’s zeal as an evangelist often required him to be away from home while he preached. During one of these absences in 1910, his wife took the three boys to visit her parents in Harrodsburg, Kentucky. During the night, a neighbor noticed fire shooting from the house and ran to waken the family. The parents were roused in time, but Luther’s wife and boys could not be reached in the swiftly mounting flames. All four died.
It seems that there could be no melody in a heart that must have been crushed, but Luther Bridgers had a melody that was from within and gave meaning and purpose, even in the flames of adversity. Listen to the words:
“There’s within my heart a melody
Jesus whispers sweet and low,
‘Fear not I am with thee,
Peace, be still In all of life’s ebb and flow.’
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus,
Sweetest name I know
Fills my every longing,
Keeps me singing as I go.”
Are you in the midst of grief, sorrow or confusion right now? If you have Jesus Christ in your heart—He is your melody! In the most violent storms of life—He is your harmony! In your most perplexing situation—He is your symphony! Let His sweet music flow through you.
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing.
- - - Pastor Cecil