Pondering "His Music"

Last week I posted this excerpt from Max Lucado's book "Traveling Light." As I read over it again, I started thinking about how this particular writing could be taken completely the wrong way. I could take it the wrong way, and so I started thinking about the whole concept and what the author is really saying.

Then my mom asked, "do you feel like this 'silencing' is happening in your life right now?" No, I don't. But, it has happened, I've witnessed it happening to loved ones, and I know it may happen again in my life. Praise God for His detailed love.

Here it is
His music
Oh, how God wants you to hear HIS music. It will race your heart and stir your tears. You want to journey to the stars? He can take you there. You want to lie down in peace? His music can soothe your soul.But first, he's got to get rid of that country-western stuff. (Forgive me Nashville, only an example.) And so he begins tossing the CDs. A friends turns away. The job goes bad. Your spouse doesn't understand. The church is dull. One by one he removes the options until all you have left is God.He would do that??? Absolutely. If he must silence every voice, he will. He wants you to hear his music.
Max Lucado, Traveling Light

It could come across as God being a big ol' bully. Someone who takes away our "CD's" and silences every voice just because He can. Nothing could be further from the truth.

How often do we find ourselves turning to Him AFTER we've exhausted other options. We rely on finding our security and comfort through our spouse, our friends, our family, our job, our church, our children, and the list goes on. Not that these areas cannot be a source of help to us, but when they replace God, we are entering dangerous territory.

God helps us. Period. He uses HIS resources, which can come to us in the above mentioned areas, but if He sees an over-dependence on anything but Him, He may silence it. Why? Because He loves us. Because the peace and joy we will experience when we rely solely on Him surpasses anything we can imagine. His music is the sweetest. But we cannot hear it if we have a bunch of other CD's playing at the same time. We won't concentrate on every soothing note of His song, when we are searching for melodies in other songs. If I am feeling "let down" perhaps it is because, in His grace, He has silenced every other song, to make His song more recognizable. He wants us to hear HIS MUSIC. Listen and enjoy His sweet, sweet song.

For the record, I am sooo thankful for the blessings the Lord has placed in my life...my spouse, my friends, my family, my job, my church, my child, and the list goes on. May this serve as a reminder that He who gave me these blessings is always supreme.

Romans 8: 28 "And we know God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God and to those who are called according to his purpose."

Jeremiah 29: 11 "'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the Lord 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'"

Psalm 121: 1-2 "I lift up my eyes to the hills, where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth."

Isaiah 26: 3-4 "You will keep in perfect peace him whose mind is steadfast, because he trusts in you. Trust in the LORD forever, for the LORD, the LORD, is the Rock eternal."


And, ironically, some songs that I just feel like posting:

How deep the Father's love for us

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n8tUP1R6hPo&feature=related

Refiner's Fire

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idA6fCAHVzs&feature=related