Catchy Melodies—OR—Something More?
“I don’t know how You make a way, but I know you will.” This lyric is found within the melody “Know You Will” by Hillsong.
- These are merely songs that we hear on the radio as we drive down the road.
- These are catching melodies that cause people to tap their toe.
Then we find these lyrics in Colton Dixon’s melody “Made to Fly.”
“Keep on keeping on ‘til the walls come down, reaching higher ground.
Sing Hallelujah. Don’t stop your walking. You were made to fly.”
- These are musicians and artists who are selling tickets for music-lovers to come see & enjoy.
However—
- Could it be also said that these lyrics, these songs, these melodies—could actually be something MORE for the child of God?
Crossing the Red Sea—God made a way for the children of Israel to cross over a dusty riverbed to the other side—to God’s Promised land.
Crossing the Jordan—God made a way for the chiefs, Joshua, and the Israelites to cross over to the walled city of Jericho where—God would make the walls come tumbling down.
Building a boat, collecting the animals, preaching God’s Word, proclaiming the truth of what was about to happen (for somewhere like 120 years), the popular, catchy melody states: “so build a boat; let it rain”—Noah knew & proclaimed God’s Truth.
One of my most favorite artists ever (Dolly) sings with Zach Williams: “Everywhere, Every Moment, Wherever I Am Going, Even When I Couldn’t See It”—There was JESUS!
On & On, Again & Again, Over & Over—God Made A Way for His Faithful Remnant—to Press On, to Not Give Up, to Seek His Face, & to—REACH THE OTHER SIDE!
So, let us pause in all this discourse, and may we pick up God’s Word to see what our SAVIOR said, how JESUS reminds His disciples of the truth about His Ministry.
“Now when Jesus saw the crowds, He went up on the mountain; and after He sat down, His disciples came to Him.
(Matthew 5: 1-16 NASB)
And He opened His mouth and began to teach them, saying,
“Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Blessed are the gentle, for they will inherit the earth.
Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be satisfied.
Blessed are the merciful, for they will receive mercy.
Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.
Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.
Blessed are those who have been persecuted for the sake of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.
Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in this same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt has become tasteless, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by people.
You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden;
nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house.
Your light must shine before people in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven.”
Artist Tasha Layton sings in her melody “Look What You’ve Done” this lyric:
“with my hands raised high—Look what YOU’VE done!”
Christians do not need to look through many pages in God’s Word to find the truth of Layton’s lyrics displayed. GOD is everywhere—doing so many miracles, saving so many, leading, guiding, and preparing the hearts of the unsaved through the work of HIS HOLY SPIRIT. LORD, with the Bible planted firmly in my mind, with YOUR Word as my strength, with YOUR Salvation securing my soul, and with my mouth praising YOU “with my hands raised high.” LORD, I can only exclaim: “LOOK WHAT YOU’VE DONE!”
HALLEJAH!
- WE WOULD BE FOREVER LOST—IF NOT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!
PRAISE THE LORD!
- WE WOULD BE EVERMORE LOST—IF NOT FOR THE LOVE OF GOD!
Therefore, JESUS told us how we might mourn, how we must be gentle, how our spirits might become poor, how we must “hunger and thirst for righteousness,” how we “are the merciful,” because we “are the pure in heart.” JESUS told us to be “the peacemakers,” that we are “Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of Me.”
We are—in the words of JESUS, THE MESSIAH, THE SAVIOR of the world: “Blessed.”
ALL GOD’S CHILDREN!
Therefore, may we read God’s Word as we prepare for the battle set before us.
- Our battle is not against people, against flesh and blood.
- Our battle is against the devil, against Satan—the enemy of God!
- So, may we “be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might.”
- May we “Put on the full armor of God, so that you [and I] will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil.”
- May we “stand firm therefore, having belted your waist with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness.”
- May we strap on our feet “the preparation of the gospel of peace; . . .”
- May we take up God’s “shield of faith with which you [and I] will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one.”
- May we place on our heads “the helmet of salvation.” & pick up “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” where we find all our strength.
- May we “pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be alert with all perseverance and every request for all saints, . . .”
- May we never allow our hearts to be discouraged.
- May we “make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, . . . .” (Ephesians 6: 10-12 & 14-19 NASB)
- For we worship A BIG GOD!
- For we worship THE GOD OF THE ENTIRE UNIVERSE!
“Don’t lose heart.
Don’t lose faith.
Don’t give up.
Just lift your heart to your Father’s face
You’re going to make it home. . .
I won’t ever let you go, I right where you are.
You’ll never be alone!”
Don’t Lose Heart” by Steven Curtis Chapman
Sure, maybe this writing about the catchy melodies we hear on our radios, in our vehicles, and blasting into our earbuds—is nothing more than a simple-minded writer’s silliness, but could it also be noted how these Catchy Melodies—COULD ACTUALLY BE—Something More! There’s a final melody that came to me, one sung by Rhett Walker, titled: “Gospel Song.”
In the lyrics, we find:
“Play it again, play it again, turn it up.
Ain’t Nothing Like A Gospel Song.
I will sing, I will sing—the name of Jesus.
I will sing, I will sing—until kingdom comes.
Amazing Grace, I will sing.”
So, in closing, I leave you with Truthful Words—words found within two final catchy melodies. First, “Thank God I Do” by Lauren Daigle. Read and Recall what we have received—GOD’S AMAZING SALVATION!
“I don’t know who I’d be if I didn’t know You.
I’d probably fall off the edge.
I don’t know what I would ever do if You ever let go.
Thank God I do!”
More importantly, I leave you with God’s Truth: RECALL THE TRUTH WE ARE STANDING ON AS WE WALK THROUGH OUR DAYS UPON THIS EARTH.
- GOD who parted the sea, IS FAITHFUL FOREVER!
- GOD who allowed all biblical narratives to be recorded so we could read & remember how HE WILL CARRY YOU (and ME)!
- GOD who led the children across the Jordan River, is ALWAYS RIGHT BESIDE US!
- GOD who caused the storm to come and the rain to fall upon the ark Noah built is RIGHT THERE WITH US, EVEN IN THE MIDST OF THE STORMS OF LIFE.
- GOD IS ALWAYS THERE!
- GOD IS FOREVER HERE!
- GOD WILL NOT WALK AWAY FROM US!
- GOD WILL CARRY US—THROUGH EVERYTHING!
“Heaven Changes Everything” by Big Daddy Weave. Thus, may we pick up our Bibles more & more, studying God’s Word with diligence, may we testify to the world about how JESUS changed our heart, and may we lift our hands, sing along, dance, and twirl as we place our earbuds into our ears and hear the Catchy Melodies that remind us why—WE MUST PRAISE THE LORD!