Tuesday's Musical Notes
Welcome to Tuesday!!! It's time for another trip around the musical globe as we explore the landscape of lyrics and the topography of truth. It's Tuesday's Musical Notes!!! Welcome one and all to the place where it is safe to listen to rock while leaning on the Rock!!!
We invite you now to journey with us to a land of big guitar riffs and even bigger hair. That's right!!! 80's land here we come! You gotta hold on, ready or not...
In the fall of 1986, a band from New Jersey released today's feature song on the heals of their first #1 hit single. It would be the second single from their third attempt at musical success. Those accolades became a daily occurrence once the band Bon Jovi released "Livin' On a Prayer". It fast became the signature song for the band that bears the lead singer's last name.
"Livin' On A Prayer" has been downloaded over 3 million times, the YouTube video has been seen over 320 million times (+ 1 with your viewing of it today). It is the rare single to hit #1 and then rise up some international charts decades after its original release. It was voted #1 song of the 80's by fans of VH1...excuse me MTV classic (yawn, just because you change the name doesn't mean you play more music videos...but I digress).
Listeners of the lyric immediately embraced the song as they related to the story of Tommy and Gina. Lead singer Jon Bon Jovi says he wrote the song during the Reagan era with "trickle-down" economics serving as an inspiration to writing songs. ("Bon Jovi Calls George Bush as 'lunatcic'!" from a 2002 article featured in T4C -Top 40.com) Tommy was a down on his luck musician wannabe and Gina was his waitress girlfriend. The song relates the struggles that they were having making ends meet. But through all of this the love that they had for each other was the thread to which the held on for survival. We suspect that the prayer reference is a use of a well worn phrase to express they were barely hanging on rather than an attempt to convey Tommy and Gina's spiritual condition.
Tommy and Gina's story is not unlike many in our world today. It really IS a story from not so long ago, in fact it could be a story from yesterday. Folks all over the world feel the stress, the tensions, and the real life drama that living in the 21st century entails. It is very difficult to find the balance that one needs to survive, much less succeed in our day and age. How folks deal with this emotional roller coaster for the most part depends on their world view, which we have discussed at length here at the notes. ( Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Reach Out (I'll Be There)", Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Drive", Tuesday's Musical Notes - "All I Wanna Do", Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Winter Wonderland", Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Ghostbusters")
Whenever there is much repetition in the Bible, you should pay much attention to that topic as it is repeated to convey its importance. We realize and are not suggesting that Tuesday's Musical Notes has the import to one's life that the Bible has, however, with all of the above repetition, you would think the Notes holds a world view discussion is one that is pretty important to have.
Whenever there is much repetition in the Bible, you should pay much attention to that topic as it is repeated to convey its importance. We realize and are not suggesting that Tuesday's Musical Notes has the import to one's life that the Bible has, however, with all of the above repetition, you would think the Notes holds a world view discussion is one that is pretty important to have.
Part of that conversation would revolve around the subject of prayer. "Livin' On A Prayer" seems to suggest that prayer is a last resort for people when there is no where else in which to turn. This is in direct contrast to what God teaches through His written Word, the Bible. Now please don't check out if you happen to consider the Bible only a book of literature, because there are some very important literary and thought provoking themes that you could easily recognize as life altering regarding what the Bible says about prayer, IF you would read it. The Washington Post has a suggestion about a Bible in which you could begin your reading: "The most popular Bible of the year is probably not what you think it is" by Daniel Sililman, August 28, 2015, Washington Post
Picking up with the repetition theme, the word "pray" with its derivatives, is reference 367 times in the New International Version of the Bible, according to biblegateway.com. Interestingly, both Psalms in the Old Testament and Acts in the New Testament have the most references at 34 each. In reading the book of Psalms it is quick to see that many of the chapters are prayers in and of themselves. Acts is the history of the beginning of the church, so it is no surprise to see the newly formed institution founded by followers of Jesus bathed in prayer.
With all of the Biblical text dedicated to the subject, why would prayer be a last ditch effort in trouble times. If you read each of the 367 passages in the Bible regarding prayer, you will soon recognize that while some of the references are last attempts to change a person's life, many of the verses refer to prayer, praying or prayed as the first thing that folks do in troubled times. Some of the verses even testify to those who pray during good times, as a means of praise. In fact, in his letter of encouragement to the Philippian church, Paul suggests that prayer is something we should do all of the time. Phillipians 4:4-9 New International Version of the Bible/The Message paraphrase of the Bible. In this instance, prayer becomes a daily part of who we are. It is our constant conversation with the God who created us. This attitude of prayer can only happen if you have begun the conversation with God.
If you have never had a conversation with God, it is not to late to start. Praying consistently is habit forming. You can have this daily demeanor by just talking to God. It may seem a little awkward at first, but it is the most important conversation you can have today. Talk to Him like you would a friend, because He is the closest friend you could ever have. Talk to Him like a parent, because He desires to be a Father to you. Talk to Him like a confidant, because He loves you like a brother or sister. The key is to begin the conversation, He is waiting to hear from you. He'll meet you wherever you are, saying to you...take my hand, we'll make it I swear...
'Til Tuesday,
Serving HIM by serving you,
Randy
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