Michala’s pastor’s precious wife sent a video link to Michala, who in turn watched it and sent it to me. The video is of Ed Cash and Steven Taylor who invited Kari Jobe, Cory Asbury, Jonathan and Melissa Helser and Brian and Jenn Johnson of Bethel Music. This video was created April 13, 2020. It is, I guess, a Zoom type call; they’re all talking from their separate homes.
The topic of this video is Heart of the Album | Peace. It’s about 23 minutes long, and it drew me in, from the get go. Ed Cash talks about the idea of the album being something calming; taking many of our favorite worship songs and scaling them back and slowing them down to where even babies and children could fall asleep to the music.
But Jonathan Helser got me. He said when Ed first approached him about the idea of the album and being part of it, he remembered a particular scripture in the Bible he read when he was younger. He remembered when Saul was being tormented by an evil spirit and overwhelmed with anxiety, he would bring David into Saul’s court to play music for him.
“Whenever the spirit from God came upon Saul, David would take his harp and play. Then relief would come to Saul; he would feel better, and the evil spirit would leave him.” - 1 Samuel 16:23 (NIV)
As I sat on our living room couch watching this video, tears just poured out of me. Like everyone, we have faced some pretty big stress lately. This seems to have contributed to my heart issues and blood pressure, throwing a big slash in my tires. But when I close my eyes and spend time with Papa; when I sit down in the quiet and read His word … when I put on praise and worship music, I am reminded who is in charge.
Spoiler alert, it ain’t me. And yes, I just said, “ain’t.”
When Michala moved into her dorm room her freshman year, I wanted to remind her of a phrase I told her over and over throughout her life: God is in the Details. I found an artist and asked her to make a print in the colors Michala used in her dorm room. Anxiety, depression, excitement, fear, joy, grief, love … you name an emotion, we felt it when we finished unpacking Michala into her dorm and had to leave her there.
Then, Terry and I faced more trials. More “crap,” if you will. And the anxiety and stress just kept popping up when we would least expect it, leaving Terry and me both wondering, “Gracious sakes, do we need a white flag? If so, we will wave it. I’ll climb up on the roof and frantically swing that white flag of surrender back and forth, if this is what it will take!”
Sometimes, though, the things happening to and around us are completely out of our control. I took such comfort in the reminder of the peace God’s spirit would bring Saul through David’s music.
God is in the details. He’s there in the miseries and He’s there in the deliveries.
Sometimes it is far more complex than the sweet, calming music singing about the Goodness of God. But you know what? It doesn’t hurt. It doesn’t hurt one bit to fill our hearts, thoughts and minds with the songs praising our precious Papa. It doesn’t hurt to read, read and reread our favorite scriptures to soothe our anxious hearts. It doesn’t hurt to turn off the television and ringers on our phones and stand in our living rooms or porches with our arms stretched high, “All my life You have been faithful. All my life You have been so, so good … with every breath that I am able, Oh I will sing of the Goodness of God.” (Bethel Music)
The horrible trials you are facing will not last forever. This COVID19 will not last forever. But you know what will?
The everlasting, never ending, all encompassing love and grace of our God.
Take a big, long deep breath and put on some praise music. Let the words of praising our Father wash over your anxious heart. Give it all to Him.
His peace is there for the taking. You only have to have an open heart to receive.
Our precious God is in the details. Every single detail of our lives … God is there. Let Him love you and let Him give you His peace.