Devotion for Wed. 12/23/20 6 Minutes

Good evening everyone watching by video this evening,,, it's time for our weekly devotion.

I'm praying that all of you are having a wonderful week and have definitely finished your shopping by now.

We "have" been one of the ones still scrambling and searching for last minute gifts,,, and sometimes,,, it can be stressful,,, but thankfully we have managed to finish a little earlier than some years.

I want you to remember those that are still dealing with the effects of this coronavirus sickness going around.

Most of those that I know,,, are improving daily and continuing to get better and we pray that continues for them.

At the same time,,, we realize that there are many that aren't improving as fast as they would like,,, and many that have fallen to this sickness,,, and we need to remember "all" of them in our prayers today!

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Our devotion this evening will come from my reading yesterday morning,,, in the book titled "David Jeremiah Morning and Evening Devotions"

Our scripture will be Psalm 40:3 and I'll be reading from my Holman Christian Standard Bible.

Psalm 40:3 (HCSB) — 3 He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the LORD.

God bless the reading and the hearing of your word this evening.

Let us pray:

Dear Lord,,, as we begin this evening,,, with all that are listening and watching by video,,, we ask that you open our ears to hear and our hearts and minds to receive the message that you have for us today,,, In Jesus' name I pray,,, Amen.

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David Jeremiah said that Christianity is a religion of song.

He talked about the way that some of the worldly views like Agnosticism,,, Confucianism,,, and Brahmanism,,, for example,,, have no real use for music.

Christianity,,, on the other hand,,, is filled with music.

Only the message of Christ,,, puts a song,,, in a person’s heart.

When you have Christ in your heart,,, something changes inside of you,,, and a melody starts to form that you can’t really control.

And,,, you don't lose it either.

Instead,,, it sustains you,,,,,,,, no matter what you are going through!

It is unlike any other belief system.

As we read the stories of Christmas in the Gospel of Luke,,, as we do every Christmas season,,, we find six different songs recorded almost back-to-back:

the “Beatitude of Elizabeth,” when she was visited by Mary; (Luke 1:42-43)the “Magnificat of Mary,” (Luke 1:46-55)Mary’s song; the “Benedictus of Zacharias,” the father of John the Baptist; (Luke 1:67-79)the “Song of Simeon,” when he was presented with the Christ child at the temple; (Luke 2:25-35)the “Evangel Song” of the angel of the Lord over the plains; and finally, (Luke the “Gloria” of the angelic hosts.

When Jesus came into the world, music was reborn.

I also listened to Wintley Phipps,,, this morning,,, and his version of Amazing Grace on YouTube!

Beautiful voice and I love his version of "It is Well With My Soul" as well.

But,,, what got my attention this morning was his talking about "Negro Spirituals" and the use of just the black keys on the piano,,, and I'll post his talk about this,,, and his song,,, and he will explain it much better than I can.

He said that the writer of "Amazing Grace" John Newton,,, could have used a melody that he apparently heard coming from the bottom of one of his slave trader ships before he quit the sea trade and later became a clergyman and abolitionist.

Then he said that God apparently wanted this song written just the way that it was because "In Gods eyes,,, whether we are black or white,,, free or bond,,, we are connected!

And we are connected,,, "through His,,, Amazing Grace"!!!

What better message can you ask for,,, 2 days before Christmas,,, that we are all connected,,, through the song that God has put in our heart and through His love for us,,, and we will all spend eternity in heaven together one day!

Jeremiah, David . David Jeremiah Morning and Evening Devotions (p. 734). Thomas Nelson. Kindle Edition.