Welcome to Tuesday and another edition of Tuesday's Musical Notes! We love getting the opportunity to visit with you each week! For over ten years, Tuesday's Musical Notes has given you insight into a wide variety of music with a unique perspective. We hope that you are educated about music, encouraged in your day, and enlightened in your life as you take a moment to read this blog each week. Thanks again!!!
Have you ever wondered where you got your name? I was given a derivative of my father's name as my middle name. I have known of fathers who have started the tradition of giving their exact names to their sons and that going at least 5 generations. Perhaps you know some that have gone past that. It's probably more common than any of us imagine. This is not an exclusive practice on the patriarchal side, it happens on the matriarchal side as well. Moms give their names or a portion to daughters, and sometimes sons.
I love names. The more complicated they are spelled the more my phonics teaching in elementary school kicks in. While I confess to being inconsistent, I attempt to say the name of anyone who wears a nametag at the establishments I frequent. Sometimes I nail it, other times the name owner corrects me and I make a new friend. I've discovered that there are some beautiful names out there and let's face it everyone likes to hear their name every once in a while. They might even go so far as to write a song about it...
"I Got A Name" would be the first single released after the death of singer/songwriter Jim Croce. It was released the day after a plane crash took the life of Croce and five others. The title track from the posthumous album would peak at #10 on Billboard's Hot 100 after spending 17 weeks on the chart. The song was released as a single from the album in September but had also been used as the theme song from the July 27, 1973, 20th Century Fox motion picture release, The Last American Hero. (Main Title and End Credits - The Last American Hero) It has since continued to be used in motion pictures as seen in the films, The Ice Storm, Invincible, Django Unchained, Logan, and The Lego Ninjago Movie.
"I Got A Name" was one of the rare occasions that Jim Croce recorded a song that he did not write. The song appealed to him as a tribute to his father who had died before seeing Croce achieve the success of his dream. The story song tells about having the fortitude to go about life and being proud of the name you've been given, the strength to sing the song of your life, and the tenacity to see your dreams lived out. All wrapped up with a beautiful acoustic backdrop serving as a tribute to fathers who have given names throughout the centuries.
We step a bit backward in the exploration of the narrative about Jesus from the Bible. Last week we visited about the Magi from the east and how they honored Jesus anywhere from 1-2 years after he had been born. Today we backtrack and focus on how Jesus was honored by His earthly family and others just over a week after His birth.
Mary and Joseph's Hebrew heritage and obedience to the Law shine through in the days after Jesus is born. Jesus wasn't given his name until after 8 days at the time of His circumcision. . In Luke 1:26-38 NASB/AMP/KJV/ESV, and The Gospel of Jesus according to the Tax Collector Matthew, chapter 1, verses 18-25 NASB/AMP/KJV/ESV Mary and Joseph had already received instruction as to what to name the child. Remember, Bethlehem and Jerusalem are only about 11 miles from each other. The family was in a perfect location to be able to follow the Law of Moses about newborns and as the law dictated, after the days of purification passed, they presented Jesus at the temple with a sacrifice. This sacrifice consisted of 2 turtle doves, the new birth sacrifice for those who had very little in the way of resources.
While in Jerusalem, Jesus' family encounters 2 elderly folks. The Bible gives us the indication that they were both devout Jews and were waiting for the appearance of the prophesied Messiah to restore Israel. One was a priest, the other a prophetess. Both were being influenced by Holy Spirit.
Luke tells us that Simeon was "righteous and devout". That is not said of very many of the priests of the time. Luke also hints that Simeon was advanced in years as the prophecy had come to Simeon that he would not die until He saw with his own eyes the Lord's Christ. Following Holy Spirit's guidance, Simeon goes to the temple at the same moment Mary and Joseph are offering their sacrifice and becomes the priest who guides them through the sacrifice they had come to make. Simeon calls Jesus a couple of things of note. He praises God for allowing Him to see "...Your Salvation". More interesting to me is the fact that Simeon, a devout and righteous Jewish priest, calls Jesus, "...a Light for revelation for the Gentiles and the Glory of Your people Israel." This all-inclusive statement was miraculous for a devout Jewish priest to make as he included Gentiles in on the salvation he had just witnessed. Simeon further makes prophecies regarding Jesus and Mary and the difficulties they will see because of who Jesus is.
Luke then tells us about what is going on outside the temple as the newborn rituals were being performed inside. The Bible says that she was 84 and at this point in her life she never left the temple area as she served through fasting and praying with those she encountered. Luke never tells us that she encountered Jesus, but it does tell us that while the "services" were going on inside, she was having "revival" outside. Showing those of us who follow Jesus that He isn't just for Sunday mornings in the church...
Luke wraps this passage up with our intrepid little family making their way back to Nazareth, where they were from. They had fulfilled the law of their government by submitting themselves to the census, and they had fulfilled the law of God by making sure that Jesus' birth was by the newborn laws of Moses. Most importantly during this whole process, Jesus came away with the ability to say...I Got A Name...I Got A Name. And oh, what a beautiful, wonderful, and powerful name it is!!!
'Til Tuesday,
Loving HIM by Loving You,
randy
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