I’ve got a melody in my heart
Back in 1977, on one of my trips to the music store (because digital downloads weren’t invented yet) I picked up the brand new cassette from Kenny Loggins. It was his official first solo album called “Celebrate Me Home.” And if you’ve never listened to that collection, do yourself a favor. Great tunes. But this morning I remembered one of the songs, in particular, as I heard a certain melody in my heart.
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I’ve Got The Melody (Deep in My Heart)
That was the second track on side two of Kenny’s album. And, of course, it struck a chord with me. Because for as long as I can remember, I’ve always had melodies and rhythms playing in my head and heart. To this very morning (as I write this, it’s not even 4 a.m.) the music bounces through my brain and neurotransmitters.
And I don’t believe it’s an accident.
What possible evolutionary function could a melody in my heart ever have. All that non-physical musical information doesn’t make me more fit…or stronger. So, it serves no survival purpose. At least not from a “survival of the fittest” perspective.
But when you consider how music magnifies the evidence for a Creator who promises eternal life, bam! Now, that’s what I call real survival.
Music and singing play important parts in the Bible.
And Paul even told Timothy to speak “to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord…”
And I believe that’s because no language speaks so clearly to so many people more than music.
So, I think God put music in me in hopes I’d use it to talk about Him. But I haven’t always done that. And I remember my Grandmother talking to me about that, shortly after my Granddaddy’s funeral. Because she knew I was earning a living as a musician. But she told me I should be “singing for the Lord.”
Of course, I was full of “youthful wisdom.” And I knew that if I wanted to make a living with my voice, I’d need to sing and perform secular music. And I did that for a long time.
But during a lot of that secular music time I also wrote songs for my own pleasure. And many of those songs at least alluded to my Christian faith.
So, thankfully, I never turned my back on it.
And these days, as I listen to the melody in my heart, or hear the rhythm in my head, I try to focus on how I can share the love of God. Because, as you might have noticed, the world’s quickly becoming a much meaner place. And people who hate God, and hate themselves, are getting bolder. But in the darkest hours is when the light of God’s love can shine brightest.
And God’s love shines brightest in a song.
So, I want to sing my whole life long.
And the music makes the message clear
To the souls who will open up and hear.
Stay tuned,
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