I am sitting here in tears as I try to express what is on my heart with mere words. I am not sure it can be done. I just finished watching a movie that is a newer version of the 1968 movie “Oliver,” which was based on a Charles Dickens novel, Oliver Twist. It is called “August Rush.” It’s about a boy named August (Evan) who was separated from his parents as a newborn and how he finds them again by “following the music.” It turns out he is a child protégé and could play almost any instrument and he composes and leads his first concert at eleven years old.
I believe that we are all orphans on this earth and our Father is God, Who puts a melody in our hearts when we are born. We spend the rest of our lives trying to find the Source of the music and get back to our Father. We, like August, end up on many side avenues in that search. We sometimes settle for something less as we are looking for love, but God’s true love is that melody and the music we long for. There are many kinds of love, and some of them are near misses to the real thing. But there is only ONE Love that our hearts are tuned to resonate with, the love of our Father in heaven.
I, like many of you, have spent my life looking for the Source of the music. I had many people tell me that they had the music I was seeking. And this also made me vulnerable to these who claimed to have the music or know where it could be found (see Acts 20: 29-31). Later I found out they were lying and had concocted a tune of their own to lure people off course for their own nefarious purposes and away from the quest that God put in our hearts. Eventually we learn to shut out all the discordant notes and sounds that claim to be coming from Him, as August did, and press on for the mark, the high calling of knowing and abiding in the Father’s love as Jesus does.
Yes, August kept on following the music until he found his mother and father. They were also musicians who believed their son would follow the music to them. Keep following the music, my precious friends and siblings in Christ, and don’t settle for anything less than the Love of your Father who calls you. Here is what His song sounds like:
Love endures long and is patient and kind; love never is envious nor boils over with jealousy, is not boastful or vainglorious, does not display itself haughtily.
It is not conceited (arrogant and inflated with pride); it is not rude (unmannerly) and does not act unbecomingly. Love (God’s love in us) does not insist on its own rights or its own way, for it is not self-seeking; it is not touchy or fretful or resentful; it takes no account of the evil done to it [it pays no attention to a suffered wrong].
It does not rejoice at injustice and unrighteousness, but rejoices when right and truth prevail.
Love bears up under anything and everything that comes, is ever ready to believe the best of every person, its hopes are fadeless under all circumstances, and it endures everything [without weakening].
Love never fails [never fades out or becomes obsolete or comes to an end]
“The music is all around us. All you have to do is listen.” ~ August Rush
A Wilderness Voice 
Amen Michael. You spoke my language. Follow the Music to God.We are made in His image and we all have a God-sized vacuum in us which no one else can fill. Some try to. We often try to let things/people fill this vacuum in us but the dissatisfaction/lack of fulfillment it brings, reminds us that we are not quite there yet.
When that vacuum in us is filled by God, TRUELY …and not religion, we find that we stay put, no matter the weather because somehow that empty feeling is no more.
It sure is that music you spoke about. No other music like it
Peace be unto you
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Dear Ngozi,
When I was in high school physics class the teacher had two tuning forks that are used to tune a piano. He struck one and it vibrated at a middle “C”. He then held a second one just like it up next to the first without touching them together and without striking it and the second one started vibrating in unison with the first. I have started to see my walk with our Lord as one of Him not only filling us with His Spirit so we can hear the music more clearly, but one of Him tuning so closely with Him that we vibrate at the same heavenly frequency totally in unity with the Father and the Son so that we become part of the music, too.
It is good to be so closely in tune with you, dear sister,
Michael
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What a beautiful picture you just painted dear brother Michael.
I didn’t know such things could happen.
Relating it to our heart/Spirit uniting with our Father’s in perfect harmony just makes it all the more brilliant.
That is what we all work towards, by His Grace… vibrating at the same frequency!
Lord be praised for His Work in us.
It is a pleasure to stand alongside you in His Body, too dear brother.
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Dear Gnozi,
It is a pleasure for me to be brought along side you as well and be touched by the things you share in His love.
“That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffers, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honored, all the members rejoice with it. Now you are the body of Christ, and members in particular.” (1 Corinthians 12:25-27 KJ2000)
Your brother,
Michael
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Amen to the “isms” and, might I add, the “ists” 🙂
Thank you dear Michael.
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The bible has many passages referring to music and songs. I believe singing to the LORD is a form of praise that brings joy to Him, and is a source of strength to us as we enter in to worshiping Him with our songs of praise unto our God.
“He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.” Psalm 40.
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Thanks for this reminder, Scarlett. I guess I have gotten away from singing over the years (I never was a great singer, though 🙂 ). Good to hear from you again.
Keep following His voice, dear sister,
Michael
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We’ve watched the movie maybe 4 times now… one of our favorites,… in our DVD library…:)….totally agree…. turn to mush each time we watch… enjoyed your thoughts… 🙂
philip
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Thanks Philip,
It is good to hear that we have like hearts that God has been working on. I started weeping about half way through and was still at it clean to the end. Keep listening to the music, my brother.
Michael
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That is a very touching article, Michael, through which God speaks clearly to our hearts. Thanks so much for obeying His voice and writing THIS!
In His great Love,
Your sister Susanne
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You are welcome, Susanne. Our Father is so good to keep drawing us to Him with His love. What great grace that He has empowered us with to follow the music until we also vibrate in resonance with His wonderful heart. When two of these resonating hearts meet, unity in His Spirit is immediate and complete.
“[Father] that they may all be one. Just as you, Father, are in me and I am in you, may they also be one in us, so that the world may believe that you sent me. I have given them the glory that you gave me, so that they may be one, just as we are one. I am in them, and you are in me. May they be completely one, so that the world may know that you sent me and that you have loved them as you loved me. Father, I want those you have given me to be with me where I am and to see my glory, which you gave me because you loved me before the creation of the world.” (John 17:21-24 ISV)
Behold, what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God: therefore the world knows us not, because it knew him not. (1 John 3:1 KJ2000)
I think that to have His love in us and to be called His child by Him is what child like faith is.
Love you, too, my sister,
Michael
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Beautifully expressed! I gladly receive this word, brother.
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Thanks, Brenda. You are a blessing!
Michael
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I AM SO GLAD FOR THE PLACE MUSIC HAS IN ME & PAT’S LIFE. WE SING CHRISTIAN SONGS AS PART OF OUR DEVOTIONS. I COUNTED ONCE HOW MANY SONGS WE HAVE
TO CHOOSE TO SING. IT WAS MORE THAN 200. WE HAVE 6 HYMNALS THAT WE USE
TO SING SONGS THAT WE KNOW. FOR ME EVERY MORNING WHEN I AWAKE I USUALLY
HAVE A SONG ON MY MIND. MORE OFTEN THAN NOT: IT WILL BE ONE THAT WE HAVE
NOT SUNG IN MONTHS: THIS AM THIS SONG: “LOVE IS THE THEME. LOVE IS SUPREME
SWEETER IT GROWS, GLORY BESTOWS, BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN EVER IT GLOWS
this is (GOD’S LOVE FOR ME) One of my favorite verses is from “Great is Thy faith full ness ”
PARDON FOR SIN & A PEACE THAT ENDURETH, THY OWN DEAR PRESENCE TO CHEER
AND TO GUIDE, STRENGTH FOR TODAY AND BRIGHT HOPE FOR TOMORROW….
another: “I THINK OF MY BLESSED REDEEMER. I THINK OF HIM ALL THE DAY LONG.I SING
FOR I CANNOT BE SILENT: HIS LOVE IS THE THEME OF MY SONG.
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Dear Bernie,
I never was into hymnals. I can only think of two hymns that God has really touched my heart with and both were sung in a capella. The one became a hit song in the early ’70’s and was sung by Judy Collins. It was Amazing Grace. The second was recorded more recently by Fernado Ortega and is called, “Oh Thou in Who’s Presence.” I can not listen to these songs without weeping for they touch where I live and are part of the music that comes down from the Father and draws me up to Him.
Michael
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We got all our songs singing in church. Pat’s & my family were church goers all our lives. I can remember as a teen when one song had the anointing. It brought a good feeling and helped me
to take more attention to the sermon. Occasionally, a song will put me in such worship that I
break down with tears of joy.
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oh yes you are so right–but it is so hard to learn how to listen with spiritual ears.
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Kenneth,
I once was part of a small fellowship that met in an office building. We were small and came together around a large table, so everyone had a chance to share and to question what was being shared. This one sister was of a Catholic background and was Italian. We often spoke of hearing God’s voice direct us and she finally spoke up and said that she never had heard His voice. So I asked her what she listened to all day as she was at home? She said that she got up in the morning and turned on TBN and watched that as she did her house work and when that went off the air she put on Christian music radio and listened to that. I told here, “There is your problem! God can’t get a word in edgewise. You need to turn off all that stuff that demands your attention and practice listening to HIM in without the din of other voices drowning Him out.”
I find that the same was true for me. As long as I was trying to here His voice through sermons, books, tapes and such, I was not hearing HIM in a fine tuned way, but only when by coincidence when He could uses something these others were saying. The problem with this was that so much of the rest of what they were teaching was leading my thoughts the WRONG way and thus there was much confusion that I lacked a singleness of eye or focus. When our eye is single our whole body will be filled with light.
Love you, my brother,
Michael
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Talking about things that get your attention away from listening to God: When I have idle
thought time is when God puts in my mind songs to sing to be able to “pray without ceasing”
ist Thessalonians 5 v 17. This begins when I wake up in the morning. I often sing a song that
I have not sung in months or longer: This AM the song about God’s love for me: “LOVE IS THE THEME. LOVE IS SUPREME, SWEETER IT GROWS, LOVE BESTOWS.BRIGHT AS THE
SUN, EVER IT GLOWS…”
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Michael, without a doubt, this is absolutely the best thing you have written. Darnella and I have also been being drawn to the, “harmonies of heaven.” Father gave Darnella this little song after we had watched the marvelous movie, “Australia,” starring Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman. There is a little Aborigine boy in it that says this, “I sing you to me,” whenever they are apart. These are the lyrics to that song.
“I want to sing you to me Lord, the music in my heart.
I want to sing you to me Lord, the song that you love,
for you created all of it, you put it there right from the start,
the music in my heart belongs to you.
Chorus:
It’s all about you Lord,
The music in my heart.
It’s all about you Lord,
the music in my heart.
For YOU are the song.”
We have become enamored with the conductor of Heaven’s symphony that has been reverberating throughout the universe since he first spoke, “LIGHT BE.” And it is. Glory to HiS name.
In HiM,
CHRkenIST
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Wow, Ken! There come the tears again! You sang me to your/His heart, my brother. Tell you precious bride, thank you for me for sharing this song. Isn’t it amazing how through all this pain we have gone through, He has been refining us tuning forks so we can vibrate in harmony with HIM and with one another!
Love you both, dearly,
Michael
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THAT SONG IS SUCH A BLESSING TO ME.! I SENSE EXPERIENCING GOD’S BLESSING
WHEN I READ IT.
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ONCE AGAIN, I WANT TO THANK YOU FROIM MY HEART FOR PUTTING THIS SONG
AS A MESSAGE. I HAVE WRITTEN IT DOWN AND WILL USE IT IM MY DAILY DEVOTIONS
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You are welcome, Bernie.
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Beautiful!
Christo
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Michael, you expressed yourself beautifully! I loved it. 🙂
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Deborah,
Coming from one who is well read such as you, THIS is a wonderful compliment.
Thank you,
Michael
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I also have seen this amazing story and it’s powerful message rang strong in my heart as well. Today, my own heart is bleeding for the lack of God’s love in both the church and within my own family. No one truly cares about each other, they are all cutting one another off and out of their lives; it sickens me to the core of my being: will it never change!? Just this morning I was pouring out my heart to sonmeone, but they could not, would not hear me! Why? Because when they hear the emotion that comes with the words that I am saying, they ‘interpret’ it as an attitude or anger then they immediately shut me down! They will not listen to what my heart is trying to say, and totally miss the point. My heart is grieved to the core and I see no end in sight!
Grievious wolves have indeed entered in not sparing the flock!
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Susie, very few people have been broken enough to get beyond their own comfort zones and allow their hearts to be touched by the pain of another. Jesus is our great High Priest who stand before the Father and who lived a life on earth that was in touch with the pains and sufferings of all that came to Him. HE STILL IS! And as we grow in Christ and beyond our selves He invites us to join Him in the fellowship of His sufferings. It is here that Christian maturity is manifest. Have we been healed enough and are we beyond our own selves and into HIM that we are willing to let Him put some of the pains of other in our hearts to carry them with Him?
Sister, about ten years ago I was moved to tears as I watched a movie called “The Green Mile.” It was about a simple black man with no shoes and in bib overalls who was falsely accuse of murder who just wanted to take away the sufferings of those around him and somehow he had the power to heal and take their sufferings into his own body and then let it go to God. As I watched the movie I wept and asked the Lord if He could trust me with His healing power. He answered me in a very personal way by casting that role of the black man, John Koffee, in an actor named… Michael Clarke Duncan. I wept so hard upon seeing this in the ending credits that it was a good half hour before I could drive home. He had my name! Later my wife who was with me looked up “Duncan” in a book about the Scottish clans and the slogan on their family crest is, “Learn to Suffer.” I had got my answer and a warning of what it would cost to walk like this. Yet, like Paul I wanted to reach out and know the fellowship of Christ’s sufferings more than my own comfort.
In the last few weeks He has done something in me to where I am more aware of the sufferings in others than I am of my own and my heart smites me when I find out that something I wrote or said has hurt another. He is answering my Green Mile prayer. He is fine-tuning me to NOT inadvertently hurt others with careless words and He is letting me feel their pain so I can help bear it in my own heart and give it up to Jesus in true intersession.
Susie, I want you to know you are loved by Him and He is healing you. Forget those who are so myopic that they only see their own discomfort upon hearing about your pain. Like Jesus said, “Father, forgive them. They know not what they are doing.” Give your pain and sufferings up to Jesus as much as you can and I will try to be here for you as well.
Michael
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Ever The Singer by Calvin Miller? http://www.amazon.com/The-Singer-Classic-Retelling-Conflict/dp/0830822852 .
Worth It
Christo
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Christo, I went to Amazon and read their free preview of this book. It intrigued me for this is the first I have heard of it. It is a parody of Christ and the Gospel of Matthew and has some excellent reviews by well known Christian authors. Thanks for sharing this.
Michael
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You will will not be sorry…
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Dearest Michael
Oh, this is why I consider my illness to be such a gift from our Pappa. When I was healthy I worked and worked and worked some more to win Jesus’ love and approval. But, in His great wisdom and love, He clipped my wings and that forced me to slow down considerably up to the point where I was able to be still and hear His music all around me. Best of all, is His music I hear in my heart! Great movie. It has made such a big impression on me.
Blessings XX
Mia
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Hi Mia!
Good to see you on here again and good to hear that this movie spoke to you as well. Yes, God has taken many of us to the place where we can no longer rely on our own strengths. Then the next test is when He puts us in a place where we can no longer make our weakness our identity, either. His goal is to get us to the place where life is no longer about us, but all about Him and our eye is single, fixed on Him, and our whole body is filled with His Light.
Bless you and Andre. Tell him “Hi” for me.
Michael
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