Welcome
to Tuesday!!! It's the 111th day of the year. Wow! Almost a third of
2014 is already in the books! It sometimes seems difficult for the
mind to process all that has happened in the expanse of 111 days. Our
world continues to change, yet the God who raised Jesus from the tomb is
never changing. He is risen! He is risen, indeed!!! Thank
goodness!!! He is someone we can rely on regardless of where we may be
in our lives. With all of the changes happening around us so quickly it
can sometimes be difficult to listen closely to what God may be leading
us to. In fact, the Bible says that sometimes He speaks in a still
small voice...or maybe just Whisper's your name...
"(I Could Only) Whisper Your Name" - Harry Connick Jr. from the album She
When
you mention the genre of music called "jazz", you tend to get opinions
of an extreme nature. What we mean is folks either really like it or
they really don't. There seems to be very little "in between" likers if
you will of the first truly American form of music. Since the turn of
the century, this category of music has been ever evolving while
maintaining basic root elements that make it some of the hardest music
to play, but some of the most enjoyable in which to listen. (again
opinions vary...see your local band director to see if jazz may be right
for you...)
With
each generation the mantle of the music of jazz gets passed.
Originators like W.C. Handy and "Jelly Roll" Morton, would pass the
forms and foundations on to names like Louis Armstrong and the big band
era of Count Basie, Benny Goodman, and Duke Ellington. A new generation
would spring forth with crooners by the names of Crosby and Sinatra.
With each successive generation, Jazz would survive as an undercurrent
of whatever became the most popular form of music. Surprisingly, even
our Rock drenched culture pushes good jazz records to the tops of the
charts, making them gold and platinum. Michael Buble' continues the
trend with sold out concerts and record setting sales records.
But
just like the genre', there is an artist who for over 35 years has been
an everyman in the entertainment industry. Accomplished piano player,
Grammy winning jazz artist for his stand alone as well as his soundtrack
work, actor on television and the big screen, Broadway musical
composer, and now judge for one of America's most loved televised talent
shows, American Idol. He is Harry Connick Jr.
When
you whisper his name, many people know about this musician/actor/talent
show judge, but they don't realize that he has had a 37 year career in
Music, TV, Broadway, and Feature Films. "Oh, yeah...wasn't he that guy
that was Wil Smith's buddy that got killed in Independence Day" is your
usual reaction. His biggest selling single is his most controversial
with his fans as he explored the "funk" side of his beloved Jazz. His
many fans expected another album of crooner tunes, but what they got was
a New Orleans funky jazz experience. The 1994 release She,
which happened to be the year he married Victoria Secret's model Jill
Goodacre, showed the musical expanse of Harry Connick Jr and his ability
to crossover into Billboard Charts that were not Jazz. The single made it as high as #67 on the Hot 100. It really was the tipping point that would begin to show his versatility as an entertainer and communicator.
Many
in the world today wonder if God ever speaks directly to people. If we
use our guidebook to everything God, the Bible, we see that God
utilizes many methods to communicate with people directly. He spoke
directly to the patriarchs Noah and Abraham (Genesis 8:15 and 12:1). He
uses the elements (cloud by day, and fire by night to lead) to speak
during the time of Moses (Exodus 13:22). The Bible says that he called
to Samuel who thought it was Eli calling out to him. (1 Samuel 3). But
seemingly, the most powerful way that God speaks is through the quiet of
a whisper. A "still small voice" that we can miss in the fast pace of our world if we are not constantly listening for it.
Have
you ever felt sorry for yourself? Ever felt persecuted? Ever felt
lonely? No one should ever be lonely... Perhaps those are the times we
should be listening the most. Over the course of his ministry, the
prophet Elijah felt each of these emotions. He just had the victory
over the prophets of the false god Baal and before he had time for a
victory lap, the queen was out to make sure that he paid with his life.
He escapes into the desert and starts to have a pity party. Sound
familiar? It does to me. At the point where Elijah should have been
leaning on God, he was being introspective and feeling sorry for
himself. He felt alone, but what he could not see was that God was
working. He soon got an "eye opener" through his ears....1 Kings 19:1-18 NKJV/The Message parallel
Just
like Elijah, we can get so caught up with life, that is difficult to
hear or see God's plan. God speaks in many ways. Before we are
believers, He can speak through other people and His Word, the Bible.
After our relationship is restored through Jesus, God speaks directly to
us through His Holy Spirit. This Comforter that He promised us will
never leave us. We have to guard against the business of life that has
the opportunity to drown out His communications to us. Because you
never can tell where Holy Spirit may be saying, "I will speak with you,
if you will listen. Be still, still enough that you would hear me if I
could only whisper your name..."
'Til Tuesday,
Serving HIM by serving you,
Randy
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