Resonate

Have you ever stretched out in the dark on the floor and listened to music? Loud. The kind of session which obviously had to be had without mom or wife around. You could hear every instrument, every note was crystal clear and passed through your whole body on its way of finding escape from the room. Every beat shook the room and you swear you can feel the rhythm in your very bones.

I haven't listened to music like that in a long time. The best i get now is it blaring so you can hear it across the house from my iPod earphones----what, you say it can't be good for me? In so many ways i think you are right but in a more essential way i am convinced that is way we need to listen to music. 100%. All of it. Loud and blistering. So that when we are done listening we remember what we have heard, so it echoes in our mind and blood for hours afterwords.

After preparing to preach for last Sunday and then give away what i discovered to my fellow followers while as a guest-preacher, i think this 'play it loud' mentality that works spiritually as well. After meditating, studying and contemplating Jesus' words in Mathew 16 not only the words have stuck, but the feel and power of them as well. I can't get them out of my head. They have found a place in my heart and i will remember the feelings and problems Peter had. I will remember that Jesus took them on a walk 30 miles out of their way so he could confront them and share with them important things away from the crowds. I will remember Jesus' question, "Yes, but who do you say i am?". I will remember chapter 16 for long time.

Friends, i am a normal guy, i hear something, no matter how brilliant it may be and in 48-72 hours it's gone, moved on to be replaced by something else. Something more 'current' or fresh. But shouldn't the words of Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the Living God, stick with us, be with-in us? Shouldn't they resonate through who we are?

So why don't they? Why do the important things, the very words of Jesus fall into dust so rapidly? Why do we 'move on' so quickly and unashamedly forget, pressing on to the newest thing that passes our particular brainwave? Nurture vs. nature, environment....BS. Really, who are you kidding? Do you remember Deuteronmomy 6 where Moses tells the people?

4 Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one.[a] 5 Love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. 6 These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. 7 Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. 8 Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. 9 Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.

He says essentially "Do whatever it takes to NOT forget these words and it will be good for you". Are we so much better at remembering? I am not. I need to proactively, purposefully teach my children, take time and BE with God because when it all boils down it is our choice to listen or watch whatever we like, to play truly stupid phone games (or computer games--my particular problem), to watch the latest installment of 'Survivorman' or 'desperate somebody-or-other' and we fill our time with useless clutter in hope we will be distracted from our guilt and longing for just one more moment, one more hour, one more day. This is the incessant pushing and pulling in our lives wether we are in the USA or Africa. Satan, your arch-enemy, will do anything he can form you spending time with your creator and your Savior. He will distract, confuse and offer endless entertainment, amusement and possibilities just so you will not hear the music for one more day.

I am back friends. You may not like me as i hound (myself)and confront my own failings because just one of you out there may have the same problems.

But do me this. Put down your tv remote (yes, turn it off), no computer farmville or age of empires and spend some time with the God who loves you. Be quiet. Recenter. Read His words, listen, worship, go for a quiet walk. Don’t let another day go by missing the opportunity, the honor and blessing of being in communion with your God. Don't be fooled, this moment is passing, this life is going by quickly and there is nothing as rewarding as living right with your God.

May you take the time to hear Him in your bones, may you walk away knowing the music of your Creator and may every note find lodging in your soul and let His music resonate through you.