Tuesday 6 January 2015

Psalm 33 Many a sinner has blown his way into heaven thanks to the (Salvation) army

Psalm 33

The quote in the title is from George Bernard Shaw in case you were wondering.

This Psalm has a wonderful start - "Sing joyfully to the LORD you righteous; it is fitting for the upright to praise him.
Praise the LORD with the harp and make music to him on the 10 stringed lyre.
Sing to him a new song, play skilfully and shout for joy"

I don't know what sort of music you listen to - but I am a sucker for brass bands - being a trombonist and Euphonium player I have to say that the skill found in a top notch brass band can be uplifting.
In the UK there is a TV show on BBC called Songs of Praise - and they sometimes have a brass band leading the hymns and it can be absolutely stunning.

but whatever type of music you are into - you can use it to praise God - William booth, founder of the Salvation army is reputed to have heard a catchy tune and was told it was a drinking song and said "Dash it, why should the devil have all the good tunes?"

"For the word of the LORD is right and true, he is faithful in all he does.
The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love"

If you recall the first blog post in this series in the book of Genesis the spoken word of God created the living world we are fortunate enough to live on.

In his "Discworld" series, Terry Pratchett has a group of monks who listen very carefully - if the universe was formed by a big bang, they are listening for the faintest echoes. In the book "Soul Music" the most talented monks could hear before the first chord that bought things into being and heard "1, 2, 3, 4" and the most talented of all could hear before that "1, 2"
In our world the echoes of the big bang have been converted into microwave radiation and if you tune your TV to a non broadcast channel about 1% of what you see in the snowstorm is the big bang residue - who says that there is nothing on TV?

God has a habit of foiling plans that are contrary to his will - it may take some time and force, but God's plans stand firm forever from generation to generation.

No king is saved by the size of his army, no warrior by his strength.
Richard the third found out at the battle of Bosworth that a horse was no guarantee of deliverance.
Shakespeare has him saying "A horse, a horse, my kingdom for a horse" 

Sometimes things may not go according to plan - "but we wait in hope for the LORD, he is our help and our shield, in him our hearts rejoice."

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