Spring Concert Series - If the Devil Doesn’t Like It, He Can Sit on a Tack

Music plays in so many of my earliest memories.

I not only enjoyed listening to it, singing and plucking around on the piano, much of what I learned as a child was accompanied by music.

Joining words with a tune triggers something in the brain (in mine, at least) that urges the memory muscles to grab it and hold on. That’s the whole psychology behind commercial jingles, I suppose. And who of us 30-something’s didn’t learn basic math, English, history and science skills from School House Rock on Saturday mornings in between cartoons? (Real cartoons like Smurfs and He-Man and Justice League!)

In the same way, music serves as one of the foundational building blocks of my Faith. If it weren’t for those cute little songs we sang in Sunday School, I may not have learned the basics of the Bible near as well or as quickly.

Honestly, would I know that Zacchaeus was a wee little man? (Luke 19:1-3)

Or that Father Abraham had many sons? (Gen. 17:5)

Or that the thigh bone is connected to the hip bone? (Ez. 37:1-14)

Who’s to say? But I kind of doubt it.

And how would I know that if I’m happy and I know it, I should clap my hands? (Ps. 47:1)

But those cute little songs served as more than a Sunday morning baby sitter and excuse to get us to expend pent-up kid energy. Though simple, say like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, they fed Truth to me, preparing me for the steak filets of adulthood and even the banquet of eternity.

For example, since I sang the song –

“Peter and John went to pray, they met a lame on the way, he asked for their alms and held up his palms, but this is what Peter did say – Silver and gold have I none, but what I have, I give to you– in the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk. He went walking and leaping and praising God, walking and leaping and praising God. In the Name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” (Acts 3:1-10)

- look at all the things I learned from that one song–

Peter and John were men of prayer –intimate with God; compassion; money is not the best gift you can give or get; healing is a current and active miracle I can ask for and expect when I’m sick or hurt; the power is in Jesus’ Name; as a disciple of Jesus, Peter had the authority and ability to dispense the miracle of healing – God can use me, a disciple of Jesus, in the same way if He so chooses; a miracle occurred because the invalid walked; the healed man displayed the miracle for all to see – he provided a witness; the healed man praised and thanked God as the Source of his healing and for being merciful to him.

Of course, I didn’t realize all of that when I was a six-year-old. In fact, back then, I had no clue what the song was about. But it served as a basis to build on through more experiences, more knowledge and understanding, more awareness and revelation.

When life gets hectic for me, sometimes I find the greatest solace and the wisest words in those songs I sang as a kid. Most recently, this one came to mind:

“The foolish man built his house upon the sand. The foolish man built his house upon the sand. The foolish man built his house upon the sand. And the rain came tumbling down. Oh the rain came down and the floods came up. The rain came down and the floods came up. The rain came down and the floods came up. And the foolish man’s house went WHOOSH!

The wise man built his house upon the Rock. The wise man built his house upon the Rock. The wise man built his house upon the Rock. And the rain came tumbling down. Oh the rain came down and the floods came up. The rain came down and the floods came up. The rain came down and the floods came up. And the wise man’s house stood firm.” (Matt. 7:24-25)

Several others automatically come to mind, usually when I’m feeling low and need to crawl out of the day-to-day doldrums.

This is the Day the Lord Has Made (Ps. 118:24)

This Little Light of Mine (Lk. 11:33)

Jesus Loves the Little Children (Mark 10:14)

And of course…

Jesus Loves Me

I am thankful that music has been a part of life for as long as I can remember. And I’m glad for the Children’s Sunday School Songs I learned early on that still bring me joy and shape my life and remind me of the basics.

What songs do you remember from your childhood that made a lifelong impact? (They don’t have to be Sunday School songs) I’d love to hear from you!

So, I got a kick out of this kid singing another one of my favorites. I pray his joy follows him throughout his life, and that I can demonstrate the same kind of innocent delight (no matter what room of the house I’m in… well, you’ll see…)

Enjoy your Wednesday! And thank you for visiting Dry Ground, especially during the Spring Concert Series!

(photos by photobucket.com)