So it is Tuesday and what do we find? A note in a blog of a musical kind. Pithy and profound combined into one, there is no blog like it, not any, bar none. Begin now to read it and you will soon see, there are depths to some songs that we never thought be.
So it is Tuesday and here it begins. A song with some sadness yet encouragement wins. Reflecting the time of then and of now. We'll break it all down, just trust us, somehow. With a song and some pause to ponder its meaning. Today's Notes will unpack and do all the gleaming. 
So it is Tuesday and away we should go. As we start, get ready, there is much more below. Soak it all in and drink from this cup. Take advice from the 80s and please don't give up...
The Dust Bowl of the mid-1930s served as the inspiration for some creative endeavors. One such endeavor was the photography of Dorothea Lange who chronicled the poverty and desperation of the folks who suffered through the horrors of this tragedy in her 1973 book In This Proud Land.
Images such as "Migrant Mother" (shown to the left) from the book served as the foundation for Peter Gabriel's (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Big Time" (Peter Gabriel), Tuesday's Musical Notes - "In Your Eyes" (Peter Gabriel)) songwriting on the economic times that were going on in England under Margaret Thatcher, which became today's ballad, "Don't Give Up".
England's economy was not the reference point by which Gabriel had planned for the song. It was originally intended to come from the focus of American Roots Music with the song's female portion of the duet featuring Dolly Pardon (Tuesday's Musical Notes - "9 to 5" (Dolly Parton), Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Jolene" (Dolly Parton)) Dolly turned the song down. This caused the perspective of the song as well as the female encourager to transition. Enter Gabriel's friend and recording artist Kate Bush.
"Don't Give Up" was released as a single in October of 1986 from Gabriel's #2 album So. The song became the second single released from the album in the UK (peaked at #9) and the fifth single in the US (peaked at #72).
Gabriel would go on to record "Don't Give Up" with Paula Cole (Secret World Live) and Ane Brun (New Blood) thus covering his own song on different projects. It has also been covered by Willie Nelson and Sinead O'Conner (once again Dolly was asked but wasn't available), Bono and Alicia Keys, and other duets whose proceeds went to charitable organizations.
In case you missed it, there is a theme that boldly resonates throughout the haunting sounds of "Don't Give Up". It is a theme of encouragement even when things are not in your favor. It is a theme that equally resonates throughout one book of the Bible particularly.
We find our great Bible story today framed around the time of the Judges. Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Here Come the Judge" (Dewey "Pigmeat" Markham) As you may recall, this wasn't the best of times for the nation of Israel. To make matters worse for the family of Elimelech, his wife, Naomi, and their sons Mahlon and Chilion, there began to exist a "Dust Bowl" moment in Israel. This famine forced them to move from Bethlehem in Israel to Moab. Don't Give Up 'Cause You Have Friends...
"...Moved on to another town, tried hard to settle down, for every job, so many men, so many men no one needs..."
Once there, even worse situations determine to devastate this family. Elimelech dies leaving Naomi a widow. This forces Mahlon and Chilion to accept the responsibility for the family and take wives of the local folks. If you remember, the Israelites and Moabites, while distantly related in the past, really didn't like each other very much in the present. Don't Give Up You're Not Beaten Yet...
Fortunately, the boys marry good wives, Orpah, and Ruth, and begin the task of building a life. 10 years pass and again tragedy strikes Naomi's family as both sons die, leaving her alone with no support as well as leaving Orpah and Ruth as widows. Don't Give Up I Know You Can Make It Good...
Naomi determines to go back to Bethlehem of Judah and begins her trek by saying goodbye to Orpah and Ruth. Both girls had gotten attached to their mother-in-law and were planning on accompanying her back to Israel. Noami chides both of them to stay among their people. Orpah acquiesces to the request, yet Ruth remains vigilant in her desire to stay with Ruth. "Your people shall be my people, and your God shall be my God" Don't Give Up You Still Have Us...
Naomi is so depressed upon her return that she even changes her name to Mara (a derivative that would become Miriam or Mary, meaning "bitter"). She doesn't languish too long as the famine has receded but is not over. She and Ruth will need sustenance and, being an older woman, Mara (Naomi) is no longer physically able to go around and glean the leftovers (intended for the poor) by those gathering the harvest. Ruth engages in providing for their little family by getting what is left of the grain in the field. There is no guarantee that there will be grain left and what Ruth is about to do can be substantially dangerous. Don't Give Up We Don't Need Much Of Anything...
Providentially, Ruth happens into the field of Boaz, a distant relative of Elimelech's. We'll come to some more about Boaz in a moment, but for now, Boaz was a wealthy patron and seemingly righteous man. Mara (Naomi) hears about where Ruth had been gathering grain and praises God as she realizes the proximity of the familial connection and the opportunity this poses for Ruth to no longer remain a widow. With some coaching from Mara, Ruth places herself in a position of favor with Boaz, who determines that he will redeem the family as a kinsman-redeemer. (One who assumes the land of a deceased male relative and responsibility for that relative's family) But Boaz is not the closest family member by which Mara and Ruth may be redeemed. Don't Give Up 'Cause Somewhere There's A Place Where We Belong...
Boaz organizes a town hall meeting to settle things with the other relative. He lays out the fact that Ruth is a part of the redemption price and the other relative declines as not to jeopardize the inheritance of the family he already has. Boaz marries Ruth and they have a son, Obed. The relationship between Ruth and Naomi continues to be so strong that Naomi serves as the nurse to Obed, thus Naomi relinquishes the name of Mara and is the envy of the women of Bethlehem. Don't Give Up Please Don't Give Up...
While theologians differ as timelines are a little fluid, in the final lines of Ruth, Boaz is noted as the son of Salmon. Most believe this to be the husband of Rahab of Jericho whom we've discussed previously. Tuesday's Musical Notes - "Bad Girls" (Donna Summer) With the genealogy presented, Obed, Boaz and Ruth's son, was the grandfather to King David. Boaz would have been his great grandfather and most consider Rahab, the prostitute was David's great, great grandmother. Don't give up 'cause I believe there's a place, there's a place where we belong...
Later on, this grandson of Ruth's would go on to write words that have provided encouragement to millions around the world. His message in these words? Let's read one, shall we?
The Lord is my shepherd,
I will not be in need.
He lets me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He restores my soul;
He guides me in the paths of righteousness For the sake of His name.
Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I fear no evil, for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You have anointed my head with oil; My cup overflows.
Certainly goodness and faithfulness will follow me all the days of my life, And my dwelling will be in the house of the Lord forever.
One need only open our eyes and we are quick to see situations that would cause distress. In this proud land of unbelief, it is very easy to become dismayed. This however is the viewpoint of those who have not come into a relationship with God through Holy Spirit's pleading and Jesus' sacrifice. Those who are redeemed realize that God continually reminds us...Don't give you, you have friends. Don't give up, you're not the only one. Don't give up no reason to be ashamed. Don't give up you still have us. Don't give up we're proud of who you are. Don't give up you know it's never been easy. Don't give up 'cause I know there's a place. There's a place where we belong. That place is not this world. That place is with God. It's called heaven. It's a place where we belong, but we must receive Jesus' gift of redemption to obtain it. It is only through Jesus that we can be restored. It is only through Jesus that we inhabit the place where we belong, and if we drown out the noise of this world and listen intently, we can hear the continual confirmation and encouragement of God saying..."don't give up".
'Til Tuesday,
Loving HIM by loving You,
randy
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