Music on the Subway

Conservatory Orchids, Ginter Botanical Garden, Richmond, VA

…(those) that chant to the sound of the viol,

and invent to themselves instruments of music, like David.

Amos 6:5

Joel, a young man who used to be my voice student and is now a freshman at James Madison University, tagged me yesterday morning on Facebook with an invitation to watch a Youtube video.  I opened the link and was immediately captivated, my mind pouring forth a ton of questions:  What subway?  How many instruments?  Where did they come from?  Where was this taken?  Where are they going?  The music was gorgeous – breathtaking.  But the manner in which it was being played was most fascinating, and the difficulty of such a large group staying together under such circumstances was a wonder.

A little research on Youtube revealed it to be the theme for a 2007 European movie.  That explained the quality of the video, the sparkling cleanliness of the subway, and the various cultures of the men and women who participated.  After my third or fourth viewing, I realized that I just needed to stop with the questions and give myself over to the depth and eloquence of the music.

Heaven’s creative process did not stop when the earth was finished and God was resting from His labors.  Far from it – God has continued to give and give of His creative genius, pouring down through ordinary men and women who become extraordinary musicians.  Some write for the world, others write for the church – all write for the beauty and glory of the music itself.  Performers such as those in the video become the interpreters of the written score.  Sit back, relax, and enjoy a very moving presentation.

I Hate Colds

Beloved, I wish above all things that you may

prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers.

3 John 1:2

I absolutely hate catching a cold.  Winter, spring, summer, fall – there is no good season for coming down with a garden-variety sniffle.  Last night was a miserable night – waking up every couple of hours with a dry hacking cough and stuffy nose – desperate for a drink of water and a kleenex.  I slept in late this morning, but it was clear from the time I finally stumbled out of bed that my normal Sabbath day of rest will truly be a day of relaxation and sleep. I don't feel well enough to do anything else!

I don’t get sick very often, and this cold is mild by anyone’s standards, but when I do come down ill, it wistfully reminds me of God’s promises in Revelation that there is coming a day when sickness, pain, grief and death will all be a distant past memory.  Nothing like that will mar the tranquility and beauty of heaven or the new earth.  There are many reasons why I want to go to heaven, but today, not catching a cold is at the top of my list!

All Things New

And He that sat upon the throne said,

“Behold, I make all things new.”

Revelation 21:5

Some time next week, a contractor friend of mine will be coming to my home with his crew to tear out my main bathroom down to the studs and cement floor.  Everything is going, including the old black and white ceramic tile wainscoting.  The reason for this expense?  Black mold that has formed on the walls behind the old plastic shower enclosure.  Mold of any kind is the source of my worst allergy, and I certainly don’t need black mold in the bathroom.

This afternoon I will be visiting several home improvement supply stores to choose everything that will go into the new bathroom: a new toilet that will actually work correctly, lights, fans, cabinet and sink, towel bars, flooring – the whole shebang.  I have never had the opportunity to start from scratch and choose exactly what I want for my living space – to create something that bears my creative signature.  It is a task I will thoroughly enjoy fulfilling.

In Revelation, God gave the apostle John a glimpse into the future when He would create a new heaven and a new earth, for “the first heaven and the first earth had passed away…”  He who sits on the throne proclaims, “I am making all things new.”  The creative genius that was so beautifully displayed when this world was originally spoken into existence has almost been destroyed by the “progress” of man.  This old earth groans with failing infrastructure, global warming, acid rain, pollution of air, land and water, etc. When Christ returns, however, He will make “…all things new.”   I cannot imagine anything more thrilling than that!

Today’s Prayer Needs

94-year-old John recovering from a heart stint procedure

An elderly parishioner placed on hospice

The families of the individuals killed in Seal Beach