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Thoughts for a Woman's Heart |
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encouragement in things that matter |
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Soul Music
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Our women’s ensemble sang at our ladies retreat. Nine voices in a near flawless blending of harmonies and intensity. The words themselves were spiritually uplifting, but it was the music that sustained the words with a vibrancy that communicated. My soul was ministered to. It was energized and enlarged, satiated, but wanting more. In a similar way, an evening of concentrated choir practice that can exhaust my vocal cords, can refresh my spirit. Soul music. It uplifts, encourages, gives life to my weariness, and moves me forward. The psalmist proclaims God’s Word as soul music in the life of the believer. Psalm 119:54 says, "Your principles have been the music of my life throughout the years of my pilgrimage." As the psalmist walks through life, fully attentive to the music of God’s Word, he hears the beat of the music and walks in step with it. We can hear the music even more clearly, for we hear its distinct and singular foundational melody of the message of God’s Son that creates the meaning of life when the accompaniments of life are in harmony with it. Rhythmic patterns of truth emerge from God’s Word that shape our lives with direction and purpose. The promises of God, His heart, and His character sustain the believer in the challenges and difficulties of life, bringing resolution to dissonance. Music reflects the soul as well – its legato’s of life seemingly undisturbed and free from agitation, its allegro’s when the pace of life quickens, the fermata of life that pauses, or the gravity of life slow and ponderous in its heaviness. Those same reflections are paralleled in God’s Word and give expression to our needs and our feelings, and they are often accompanied by timely words of affirmation, encouragement, or challenge that can offer a cadence of closing. Notice too that the psalmist is on a journey. His reliance on the music of his life is not a temporary indulgence. He is instead, committed to it and guided by it throughout his journey – daily, habitually, willingly. The motion picture industry today capitalizes on the musical scores that enrich, complement, and give greater life to what is being performed. How much more, we need the enriching and energizing words of God to adequately journey through life. Listen fully to the music with your ears – and with your soul. |
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— Bev |
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