“HOW TO GET YOUR SONG BACK”
Psalm 40: 1-4/ Job 1:1-12/ Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18
Ch, Maj Gen, Charles C. Baldwin
August 4, 2013
The Psalmist wrote, “He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our
God; Many will see and fear, and will trust in the Lord.”
Songs have been a part of American culture from the beginning. When our
nation has been involved in the horrors of war, the song writers have given us a song
to encourage us, to help us understand the seriousness of the moment and even to
lighten our hearts in the times of darkness.
In the Revolutionary War, we sang “Yankee Doodle went to town aridin’ on
a pony, stuck a feather in his hat and called it macaroni.”
In the Civil War, some sang, “Oh, I wish I was in the land of cotton, Old
times there are not forgotten, look away, look away, look away, Dixieland.”
Others, during that same war sang, “Mine eyes have seen the glory of the
coming of the Lord….Glory, glory Hallelujah, His truth is marching on.”
That terrible war gave us the haunting song, “When Johnny comes marching
home again, ha-ruh, ha-ruh; we’ll give him a hearty welcome then, ha-ruh, ha-ruh.”
In WWI, we sang, “Over there, over there. Send the word, send the word
over there, that the Yanks are coming, the Yanks are coming….”
In WWII, the nation sang, “I’ll Be Seeing You”, and “I’ll Be Home for
Christmas”. The long separations of that war were lightened by “Don’t sit under
the apple tree with anyone else but me.”
During the Korean Conflict, soldiers sang, “Good Night, Irene, good night,
Irene; I’ll see you in my dreams.”
The songs of the Vietnam War were heart-rending as well. “Where Have all
the Flowers Gone?…long time passing…when will they ever learn, when will they
ever learn?”
When we returned from Desert Storm in 1991, Bette Midler was singing,
“From a Distance, the world is blue and green, and snow cap mountains white.”
After 9/11, the Congress started it, but we all joined in on “God Bless
America.”
Even now, while we are still engaged in a dangerous fight for freedom in
Afghanistan, the songwriter Allen Asbury has given us “Somebody’s Praying Me
Through.”
I love to sing. Music calms the soul, comforts the mind, and heals a broken
heart. Many people have lost “life’s song.” Almighty God intended for us to enjoy
life; to live life at it’s fullest; to have our days filled with meaning and purpose.
Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life and have it more
abundantly.”
The reality is that many people have lost life’s song. Years ago, Melanie
Sathka sang a sad song,
“Look what they’ve done to my song, Ma;
Look what they’ve done to my song.
It’s the only thing I can do alright,
And it’s turning out all wrong, Ma;
Look what they’ve done to my song.”
Almost everyone can identify with Melanie at some time in their life.
Little child--growing up in a love-starved home.
Teenager--lost his/her first love…or…afraid of what the future holds.
Husband/wife--discovered marriage isn’t turning out like you planned
Soldier/Marine/Airman—returned from the War and can’t find the peace
Preacher--overwhelmed by a personal problem, or the problems of others
Church member—lost the joy and excitement of Christian service
Melanie Sathka was searching; she sang,
“I wish I could find a good book to live in.
I wish I could find a good book.
Well, if I could find a real good book, I’d never have to go back and look
What they’ve done to my song.”
GOODNEWS, Melanie, and everybody else who lost their song, “THERE IS A
BOOK”…it’s Psalm 40 and the rest of the BIBLE.
When King David wrote Psalm 40, he was in a pit…no joy… ‘miry
clay”…pit of destruction. He found the answer to “How to Get Your Song Back.”
Let me try to answer three questions,
1) “How Did I Lose My Song?”
2) “How Do I Get It Back?”
3) “What Do I Do When I Get It Back?”
“HOW DID I LOSE MY SONG?”
Usually, NOT “on purpose”, but it happens because of Signs,
Circumstances, and Sins.
In WWII, when the Allies were liberating the European continent, they
encountered a Nazi military tactic that was “simple, but costly.” The Nazi’s
changed the road signs. Turned them to point another way: TRIER…PARIS.
The Allies, trusting the signs, walked into a trap. The Allies learned: DON’T
TRUST THE SIGNS. The signs were actually not “bad signs”, they were just
turned the wrong way!
BIBLE: “There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.”
(Prov 14:12)
In this world, there are good signs pointing the wrong way that will cause us
to lose our song.
The PLEASURE SIGN. Pointed the wrong way is called hedonism. The
hedonist says, “Pleasure is the highest good…Happiness is our goal in life.”
The truth is: happiness and pleasure are good, but not the highest good. God is
more concerned with our HOLINESS than with our happiness. When we are
HOLY, we are HAPPY. When pleasure is sought as an end in itself, “…lose life’s
song.”
The extreme hedonist Hugh Hefner still, at age 86, exploits millions of people
with his pornographic magazines and lifestyle. He brags about the thousands of
women he has used for his profit. He does not mention the homes that have been
ruined or the children aborted or neglected because of the quest for pleasure.
The Pleasure Sign reads: “Let’s Party.” What’s wrong with that? When we
had teenagers in our home, we would ask, “Where are you going?” They answered,
“To party.” “PARTY was a verb.” Parties are fun; but, turned the wrong way, will
cause us to lose our song.
The RELIGION SIGN. Another good sign; but turned the wrong way will
lead to death.
The world is filled with religions; be careful; be wise. As we said a couple of
weeks ago, they are NOT the same message wrapped in different packages.
A few years ago, I attended a chaplain’s conference at US Military Academy,
West Point (sometimes called Hudson High). We were discussing the cults that were
getting the attention of the cadets. “The Way” “The Moonies” “Satanists”, and
others. We were concerned that the future military leaders may be influenced by
“religions” that would take them down a dangerous road. A SIGN turned the
wrong way.
Have you heard of “Scientology”? It has nothing to do with science or
theology. It’s just the same old lie of Genesis 3 with movie star preachers. In a
pilot’s checklist are “CAUTIONS & WARNINGS.” This warning should be printed
in every Scientology book: “This “religion” will not make you a god.”
Obviously, “the religions of man” lead down a different road. Perhaps even
more important is the way we live out the Christian faith. In the Sermon on the
Mount, the Lord Jesus was WARNING his disciples to be careful in the way we
practice our own faith.
Jesus said, “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before men, to
be seen by them…do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing,…and
your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.” (Matt 6:1-4)
Jesus said, “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites….But you
when you pray, go into your room and when you have shut your door, pray to your
Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you
openly.” (Matt 6:5-6)
Jesus said, “And when you fast, do not be like the hypocrites….But you, when
you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be
fasting, but to your father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in
secret will reward you openly.” (Matt 6:16-18)
RELIGION is not a bad sign. But, turned the wrong way will cause us to
lose our song.
The SUCCESS sign is a powerful sign. I spent my entire adult life in the
military. In the military, one may get promoted. I never turned one down. I don’t
know if I ever believed that having power equaled being successful; but now that I
KNOW some people who “made it to the top”, I am positive that “success” doesn’t
mean you are “singing life’s song.” Success is not bad at all. Some preachers will
tell us, “God wants us to be successful.” But, turn the sign the wrong way, and it
may read, “Messed up priorities”; “Broken homes”; “Misplaced loyalties”; or just,
“You went after the wrong prize.” Rick Warren wrote in his book, “The Purposedriven Life,” “God did not make us for success; He made us for significance.”
Obviously, not everyone who succeeds did something wrong. But, if success
or power has become a “god”, then I guarantee we’ll lose our song. Those are some
of the signs that will steal your song. PLEASURE; RELIGION; SUCCESS. Read
them carefully.
Two other things will steal your song. I won’t spend much time on them.
They are easy to understand.
CIRCUMSTANCES may cause you to lose your song.
Earthquakes/fires/freezing weather/hurricanes…”Acts of God”
Wars/Car wrecks/accidents…Acts of mankind
Disease/cancer/diabetes/AIDS/Alzheimer’s…Unexplainable pain
Whom can we blame for the circumstances of life?
Some blame God, and, in their anger, lose their only hope for survival.
Some blame the devil. He deserves some of the blame, for sure.
Some blame the wickedness of man. We do deserve some of the blame for
the pain in the world.
The Bible tells us of Job--“a man who was blameless and upright, and one
who feared God and shunned evil.” That’s a good “rep”--reputation. The devil was
certainly involved in bringing calamity to Job’s life. To Job, it looked like every
terrible circumstance possible to humankind hit him. He lost his family, his
property, his friends, and then was stricken with a horrible disease--boils all over
his body. In his despair, he said, “My harp is turned to mourning, And my flute to
the voice of those who weep.” (Job 30:31) He had lost his song.
FACT is: Circumstances can take away our song. Signs, Circumstances, and…
SINS will definitely make you lose your song.
Sin--enslaves us.
Sin--separates us from God.
Sin--separates us from people.
What is sin? WE KNOW. Even if we don’t read the Bible! It’s written in our
hearts.
If we break His commandments, we sin.
1) No other gods.
2) No graven images
3) Name in vain
4) Remember the Sabbath Day
5) Honor your father and mother
6) Do not murder
7) Do not steal
8) Do not commit adultery
9) Do not bear false witness
10) Do not covet.
If we break His commandments, we sin. If we break His heart, we also sin.
Jesus said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, soul, mind, and
strength…and love your neighbor as yourself.” If we fail to love God and others, we
break God’s heart, and we sin.
Sin will take away our song.
“How did I lose my song? SIGNS, pointed the wrong way; CIRCUMSTANCES;
and SINS.
Given all this BAD NEWS, you’d think no one could sing. But we have a
great GOD!! He has GOOD NEWS; He made it possible for everyone to sing.
QUESTION #2. “HOW DO I GET IT BACK?” It’s in the SONG BOOK…Psalm
40, verse 1.
“I waited patiently for the Lord” Psalm 40, verse 1.
“I”. Bummer. It’s not YOU; it’s not THEY; it is “I”. It’s so simple. No secret
vows. No trips to the guru. It begins with you/me. This is our PERSONAL
responsibility. We cannot blame God, or society, or other people. If you want to
sing, it begins with you. “I” You choose; I choose. “I”
“…waited patiently”. Means to have FAITH. (Forsaking All I Trust Him).
It means walking down a road without manmade signs, but rather with Godmade signs. God’s sign says,
“TRUST ME”: “Trust in the Lord w/ all your heart and lean not on your
own understanding.”
“I’LL BE WITH YOU”: “I am with you always.” (Uncle Eddie
story…afraid to fly…“Lo, Behold; Pay attention; I am with you always.”)
God’s sign says, “DON’T BE ANXIOUS ABOUT TOMORROW”
“I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE”
“EVERYONE WHO CALLS UPON THE NAME OF THE LORD WILL
BE SAVED.”
“I waited patiently;”
I took the step of faith. Some say it is like walking
down a lighted path to the end, when the light stops, and then taking one more step.
“…FOR THE LORD.” The ANSWER is a PERSON--Jesus Christ the Lord.
He gave up life’s song…He experienced death on the cross…He conquered
death and sin…He arose to life! It’s the GOSPEL message. It’s all about HIM.
The Psalmist wrote,
“He inclined to me (reached down)
He heard my cry
He brought me up
He set my feet upon a rock.
`
He put a NEW SONG IN MY MOUTH.”
“HOW DO I GET IT BACK?”
“I WAITED PATIENTLY FOR THE LORD”
God’s wonderful grace reaches out to every person who was ever created.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son. Whoever believes in
Him might not perish, but have eternal life.” (John 3:16) THAT IS THE
BEGINNING OF THE SONG. Which brings me to the last question,
QUESTION #3: “WHAT DO I DO WHEN I GET IT BACK?”
ANSWER: “SING IT”
Our relationship to Him must be shared with the world. Our Rector Al Zadig
mentioned Fanny Jane Van Alstyne a few weeks ago. Le me tell some of the rest of
her story.
Fanny Jane Crosby, born in Putnam, NY, March 24, 1820, became blind at
the age of 6 weeks old when a country doctor applied hot poultices to her inflamed
eyes.
She could have lived a quiet, private life in the 1820’s. Instead, she wrote
some songs. She used her maiden name when she published a song. Her texts are
numbered in the thousands.
She wrote,
“Praise Him, Praise Him, Jesus our Blessed Redeemer;
For our sins He suffered and bled and died….”
“Jesus keep me near the cross, there’s a precious fountain
Free to all a healing stream, flows from Calvary’s mountain”
“Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine, Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine.”
“All the way my Savior leads me, what have I to ask beside.
Can I doubt His tender mercies who through life has been my guide?”
“He hideth my soul in the cleft of the rock that shadows a dry, thirsty land.
He hideth my life in the depths of His love And covers me there with His hand,
And covers me there with His hand.”
“I am thine, O Lord, I have heard Thy voice and it told Thy love to me;
But I long to rise in the arms of faith, and be closer drawn to Thee.”
“To God be the glory, great things He hath done;
So loved He the world that He gave us His Son
Who yielded His life an atonement for sin
And opened the lifegate that all may go in.”
Near the time of her death, some friends came to her to express their sadness that
she had to live a life without sight.
She said, “Don’t feel sorry for me, I’m the happiest person on earth.”
She died at age 95, and started writing new songs for the saints and angels to sing in
heaven.
The Psalmist wrote, “Many will see and fear and will trust in the Lord.”
Sing your song!