Sometimes A Light Surprises…

Sometimes a light surprises the christian while he sings; It is the LORD who rises with healing in his wings: When comforts are declining, He grants the soul again A season of clear shining to cheer it after rain. In holy contemplation, we sweetly then pursue The theme of God’s salvation, and find it ever new: Set free from present sorrow, we cheerfully can say, E’en let th’ unknown tomorrow bring with it what it may. It can bring with it nothing but he will bear us through; Who gives the lilies clothing will clothe his people too: Beneath the spreading heavens, no creature but is fed; And he who feeds the ravens will give his children bread. The vine, nor fig–tree neither, their wonted fruit should hear, Though all the fields should wither, nor flocks, nor herds, be there: Yet God the same abiding, His praise shall tune my voice; For while in Him confiding, I cannot but rejoice. William Cowper 7,6,7,6 Joy and peace in believing.

On my digital playback unit

First, there is a problem with what to call it. I almost titled this, “What’s on my iPod,” but it’s not an iPod. It’s a Blackberry smartphone. And I really like it, by the way. Its one of the “Curve” 8300 series, with the smallest QWERTY keyboard RIM makes. Among its many features is that it can take a micro SD card, on which you can load up your digital music files, pictures, even short videos, I guess ( though I’ve never done it)—so it is a fully functional media player.

But the techno stuff aside, I thought some readers might find useful to know what I put on my music player to listen to when I am driving , etc.

Actually, mostly sermons, most of which have been downloaded from sermonaudio.com. Some titles:

• “Five Steps to Revival” (Dr. Ian Paisley)
• “From Greater Words to Greater Works” (2007 Holiness Revival message) by John Van Gelderen
• John Bunyan in First Person (Dr. Edward Panosian)
• John Calvin in first person (Panosian)
• A series on Malachi (Dr. John C. Whitcomb, Jr.)
• Romans 14 (Dr. Gary Reimers)
• Romans 14 series (Dr. Dave Doran)
• Jonathan Edwards discussion (Sam Storms)

I’m presently preaching through Hebrews and Malachi, so listening to others handle the texts and preach is helpful. Also I’m taking the challenge Dan Miller at SharperIron has extended to listen to several different expositions of Rom. 14 for analysis and discussion.

Have you heard any of these for yourself and have a take? Or other recommendations on the topics? I’d like to hear about them.

The Bach Chaconne

With my younger son, who is now 11, now in his fifth year of violin, I have begun to enjoy something of the artistry of the violin. I am thankful he has a good ear and a healthy love for good music. As many would attest, hearing a beginner practice this instrument is a purgatory of its own unique kind; however, hearing a master perform it is nearly heaven on earth. Indeed, master violinist Arnold Steinhardt, though a non-practicing Jew, commenting on his 2006 recording of the tremendously difficult Bach Chaconne, noted something divine about it:

“I decided to put past considerations aside for the moment and try to look at the bigger picture. The Chaconne was divided into three large sections. The dark and brooding outer sections flanked a hymnlike inner one that evoked peace, gratitude, and optimism. Was it far-fetched to think that Bach, a devout Christian, might have offered the Chaconne as an expression of the Holy Trinity, its bedrock spiritual principle? The first section, in D minor, would represent the Father; the next, in D major, the Son; and the final section, in D minor, the Holy Spirit. This line of thought intrigued me, even though I was on shaky footing as a secular Jew with only the flimsiest knowledge of Christianity. The more I looked, however, the more “threes” I found. The Chaconne’s basic building block was a three-beat bar, the initial theme appeared three times — at the beginning, the middle, and the end — and then there were those evocative three-note groups that appeared over and over again. Was the Chaconne some kind of message in a bottle destined for (dare I think it?) God?” from Violin Dreams, by Arnold Steinhardt (Houghton Mifflin).

You can read more about this and hear two of Steinhardt’s performances of it at http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6888973.

From what I have read of the robust Christian life of its composer, the Chaconne might be more a message in a bottle from God to us through His servant.