Hi there! It's Tuesday! In fact, it is the last Tuesday of January! 2019 is now 1/12th spent and much has happened in that time! We've seen a government shut down and reopen. We've seen candidates for President begin their 2-year run to the White House. We've seen most state senators and representatives convene to pursue just legislation for the betterment of the folks in their states. We've seen Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime add new entertainment choices and take away a few in the process. We've seen the economy continue to improve in the United States, which seems to impact people around the world. All of these things could be seen as something good. 
But wait, there's more! It's Tuesday, January 29th! It's time for Tuesday's Musical Notes!!! And something tells me we're in for something good...sure...you can start clapping your hands...
What an incredible year, 1964!!! Those of us who turn 55 this year (yikes!!! We're only 5 years from being 60, but isn't 60 the new 40?...sorry...I digress) probably don't remember much about our birth year. History tells us it was a good year for many things. The price of a gallon of gasoline was 30 cents. You could buy a nice home for $13,050. This was still a struggle due to the average annual salary being $6000. If you didn't want to buy a home, you could rent one for $115 a month as you saved for a new car that would cost you $3500. Movie ticket prices were a staggering $1.25 and you could get a loaf of bread for 21 cents.
And in the fall of '64, the British Invasion of the radio was in full swing. Adding their voices to the swelling strains for England was Herman's Hermits, who in September of 1964 released their debut single. It was a cover of a Gerry Coffin and Carole King (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "I Feel the Earth Move") song that would peak at #13 on Billboard's Hot 100 and establish Herman's Hermits role in the new sound that was coming from across the pond.
"I'm into Something Good" is a story about the discovery and beginnings of a romantic relationship. It is a declaration that this new liaison is something worth continual pursuit and investment. It is a sweet song about the innocence of love in its infancy between a couple. It also portends that this relationship could be something that lasts. And all of this is wrapped up in the qualifier that it is "good".
In the history of mankind, we are quickly introduced to the adjective "good". In Genesis 1, verse 3, the Bible tells us that God spoke light into existence and then described it as "good". This trinitarian God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) described the first thing He created as "good". What does that mean? It sure seemed that God was into something good.
As an adjective, the word "good" is defined (dictionary.com) as "1) morally excellent, virtuous, righteous, pious, 2) satisfactory in quality, quantity, or degree, 3) of high quality, excellent."
This definition would seem to show a word of boundaries, structure, and absolutes. And perhaps at one time (Genesis 1), it was defined in this manner. Man is soon introduced into the picture and "good" all of a sudden becomes relative, porous, and liberal. Genesis 3:6 New American Standard Bible/The Message paraphrase of the Bible/King James Version of the Bible parallel This happens after God, who had called His creation "very good" AFTER He had created man) had told Adam and Eve to not eat of the tree. This incident has nothing to do with the goodness of the tree. It has everything to do with Adam and Eve's obedience to the One who created them. Immediately, evil is introduced into the world, and "good" becomes a term that mankind has perverted ever since.
Please take a moment and read what the prophet Isaiah, in his condemnation of Israel's idolatry and use of the word "good" in relative terms, said. Isaiah 5:13-20 NASB/The Message/KJV
And now today's headlines:
Andrew Cuomo signs bill updating New York’s abortion law (New York Post, January 2019)
Wisconsin Company Offers To Implant Chips
In Its Employees (NPR, July 2017)
Why This Guy Fell In Love With a Sex Robot (Men's Health, May 2016)
Some consider all of the above headlines as "good" things. However, Tuesday's Musical Notes encourages readers to investigate ALL of the information they can regarding the above headlines as well as others. Place their definition of "good" on the scales of the Bible and see how their interpretation stands up. In light of the Bible, the world's "good" seems to be the prophecy of Isaiah coming true before our eyes. ("Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil...") Be awake dear friend and ask the Holy Spirit to discern the truth about the things we continue to see and hear happening in our world.
Paul provided incredible wisdom to the Philippian church which seemed to be experiencing a world much like ours. Read Paul's encouragement to believers of that day:
Given today's headlines, this exhortation from Paul is equally, if not more, important to us today. As believers, our role is to stay away from evil. Paul is saying if we focus on the "good" of God, we can stay away from evil. I heard it once said about the laws of the Bible, "If you are so busy doing all the do's, you won't have time to do the don'ts". As believers, doing good and loving others should be our goal. It might even cause us to discover things that would make us break out in song (best British accent please)...."Woke up this mornin' feelin' fine, There's somethin' special on my mind...Something tells me I'm into something good!..."
'Til Tuesday,
Serving HIM by serving You,
randy
No comments:
Post a Comment