Learning What a “Real Song” Is
When my niece was not quite three years old, she schooled me on the definition of a “real song.” We’d been singing her favorites, “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star,” and “I’ve Been Working on the Railroad,” when she asked me to sing a song. I’m not sure why the Beatles’ “Ticket to Ride” popped in my head, but I started to sing it. She stared at me as if I’d lost my mind and said, “Auntie Rev, that’s not a real song.” I asked her what a ‘real song’ was, and she dramatically began singing the ABC song.
When I recounted the story to a friend a few days later, he said, “Well, I guess you can’t really learn any other song until you know the ABC song.”
As I’ve said in our current worship series, the psalms are our “ABC song” of Scripture. We find in their poetry the basic building blocks of unlocking secrets of God’s Word. Learning the themes and truths of the psalms’ open, honest prayers help us to read other parts of Scripture. They are the “real song” that guide us in singing other songs of Jesus and his love.
With all of the changes we’ve experienced in the world this year, changes to which churches have not been immune, we have also had the opportunity to remember Who does not change. In worship this past Sunday, Psalm 19 invited us back into basic practices that we must not neglect, which include worship, study of the Word, and prayers of self examination. I encourage you to read this psalm throughout the week and seek the Lord about how this “real song” might help us grow our faith in & focus on the One who doesn’t change. By tending to these basic needs of our souls, we will improve our lives —and learn to sing even more songs that God has placed in our hearts.
all good things to each of you,
Dr. D.