Tuesday's Musical Notes - "I Say A Little Prayer" (Dionne Warwick)

Welcome to Tuesday August 5th!!!  This is the date that the 1st traffic light was installed in Cleveland, Ohio in 1914.  Neil Armstrong was born on this date in 1930 and American Bandstand debuted on ABC in 1957. If you look August 5th up in the history books, there are many "events" that occurred on this date.  Yet, the Notes chose the ones that we thought you would find most interesting.  Prioritizing things, whether it be shared information or how you spend your money, is an important aspect in our lives.  The things that are important to us get the greater priority, while the things in which we feel no passion towards...well..not so much.  What are the things that prove your passions?  How do you spend you time as you go throughout your day?  What do you think about the moment you wake up....before you put on....it comes better from Dionne...

"I Say A Little Prayer" - Dionne Warwick

Written as an homage to Viet Nam War soldiers, "I Say A Little Prayer" would become a #4 hit for Dionne Warwick in December of 1967.  It speaks of all of the things that is going on in a young woman's life, yet she makes time before each of these important things, to say a prayer for her love.  She prioritizes her day around being able to pray for this person who means so much to her. 

The song was written for Warwick by Burt Bacharach and Hal David.  Their collaboration with Dionne would make popular music history.  She is 2nd only to Aretha Franklin in singles charted by a female performer.  In fact since 1962 she has over 50 singles credited to her that made Billboard's Hot 100.  Her first #1 hit would not come however until she teamed up with music greats Gladys Knight, Elton John and Stevie Wonder for the AmFar (American Foundation for AIDS Research) benefit single, "That's What Friends Are For" in 1985.    This single would be the culmination of a life filled with making music as a priority.

Many people make daily "to do" lists.  These lists provide us with a way of not only keeping us on pace with the priorities of our day, the give an opportunity for celebration or a sense of accomplishment when many, if not all, of our tasks are completed.  In some businesses, leaders are trained to prioritize based on the urgency and time a specific task my require.  This is a practice that can be traced in history back to Biblical foundations.  

God Gives the Ten Commandments - Charlton Heston as Moses in The Ten Commandments

 

The Ten Commandments were given to the children of Israel by God to serve as a foundation upon which they could build a nation.  This group of laws remains the standard by the modern world governs itself.  Have you ever noticed that there is a priority to this list?  The first 4 commands have to do with the relationship to man with God.  The next 6 deal with man's relationship with other men. God first, others second. 

The New Testament version of this comes from Jesus.  He was being asked for a priority in the Ten Commandments, or the Law of Moses.  We pick up the story in Matthew 22

Matthew 22:34-40 Holman Christian Standard Bible

Here, Jesus lays out the priority for our lives.  God first, others at least as much as we love ourselves.  So how are we doing on God's priority list?  It is so easy to chose good things that are in this world over Godly things.  Church attendance is one such example.  Time spent with family and friends is a good thing.  When our work week is filled to the max, it is nice to invest in our relationships with others.  How is our relationship with God any different?  Does our relationship improve with Him when we spend time with Him?  Granted going to church is not the only way that you spend time with God, however, it is one of the ways in which we can enhance the relationship of God to his bride, the church.  So many folks have abandoned consistent church attendance, when in reality, their walk with God is in dire need of it.  Even the great things of our educational system can get in the way of building our relationship with Jesus.  I recently heard of a community that signed a petition asking their school district to abstain from having any concerts, practices, games, or any other school required activities all day on Sunday and Wednesday evenings.  Wow!  That is a group of folks who want to make their community's relationship with Jesus a priority.  I guess the question for each of us today is what have we done to improve the relationship that we have with God?  Do you have one?  Do you invest daily in Bible study and saying a little prayer?  Do you find ways in which to edify the body of Christ by being involved in your "passion places" at the church you attend?  Are the priorities in your life one's that are a Godly example to your children or the children in which you have influence?  From the moment you wake up, is your day centered on building your relationship with God, and then serving others? So friend, what is your priority the moment you wake up?  Can we sing along with Dionne and proclaim about our relationship with God..." Forever forever you'll stay in my heart And I will love you Forever and forever we never will part Oh how I'll love you Together together that's how it must be To live without you Would only mean heartbreak for me"

'Til Tuesday,

Serving HIM by serving You,
Randy