What's Going Through Your Mind?

This post is an update from one in May of 2011 - with a few updates and (what I deem) corrections. It's been on my mind as we start (pretty early, really) Christmas caroling.

All My Life Long (click for music & lyrics)

Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; (Ephesians 5:19 KJV)

Back in 2010, when I was teaching Junior High Girls, we spent at least ten months giving our Youth an in-depth study of Ephesians.  We covered maybe a verse or two at a time, but I don’t think we spent enough time on two verses. 

The one above is the first verse.  We covered “… be filled with the spirit” quite well and I’m certain we mentioned that the hymns and spiritual singing we (and special groups) do in our services is part of that filling with the spirit.  But I don’t think we spent enough time on “making melody in your heart to the Lord."

What’s on your iPod/iPhone/MP3/TV or radio setting/CD player when it comes to music?  Country western?  What do we hear when we drive in city streets?  Hard rock?  I have it fairly easy – [at the original writing] my car is experiencing electrical difficulties, no radio, no player.  So I listen to my iPhone.  I have more than twelve hours of hymns and gospel music there, along with some great sermons.  Isn’t that wonderful?

Beloved Husband’s CD player works fine in his truck.  But only one CD played in it for months – our Easter cantata.  I wake up in the morning with the music and words running through my mind:  Isn’t the love of Jesus wonderful?  And that’s a rhetorical question – I know the love of Jesus IS wonderful.  And it is making a beautiful melody in my heart to hear those words over and over again.

Psalms and hymns and spiritual songs.  Which one is going through your mind right now as you think of them?  Did you almost break into song thinking of them?  Do you look for any excuse for a song?

From David’s psalms, through Fanny Crosby’s hymns into Mark Lowry’s spiritual songs, they come to mind because I’ve heard them over and over again!  Loving them each and every time.  Which brings us to that second, slightly overlooked verse:

Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ; (Ephesians 5:20 KJV)

Always for all things.  I do believe making melodies in my heart makes it much easier to give thanks for all things in all ways.  Even when sadness overcomes, there’s a hymn that comes to mind.  Mentioned recently is the comforting “It Is Well With My Soul.”

So, what melody will you be making this week?  What song will well up in your heart and lift you closer to God?