In Tune

By now, it is no hidden secret that I love music, but in a marriage, it is one of those things that you might forget to monitor with your spouse.  Let me explain.  In the old days, I was one of those people who made mix cds, and mix tapes, but now the current term is making playlists.  Either way, my romantic dating ways usually resulted in a mix of a variety of music.  I remember on one of my early dates with Mindy, we listened to mix CD while we talked.  Maybe at that time Mindy loved the love songs I liked.  Lately, there are the days when my constant music listening is an annoyance to her.  She will say, “Do you always have to listen to music?”  My answer is, “Yes!”  Test this theory out.  Many times, even on Sunday mornings, you can come into my office and still hear music playing, although I may already be in church or Bible study.  It is interesting to me that apparently I was not in tune with Mindy enough to ever think this would be an issue.  I thought, or maybe assumed, she loved music just as much as I did, but as time has gone on, I have realized that this is simply not the case.  Regardless, the soundtrack of my life goes on, and I try to be more in tune to when Mindy is getting annoyed and turn it off.

           

Jacob, who hears my music everyday of his life, has had more questions about it.  And Jacob and Gavin sometimes hear a song on repeat.  Often this works, and they love the song.  The other day I thought Gavin was saying something to me and I turned down my music and said, “What’s up buddy?” He said, “Turn it back up I was singing!”  But let’s not kid ourselves—there also have been times when they asked, “Dad can we listen to a new song?”  I believe that Jacob has become more in tune with me when he asked, “Why do you like music so much?”  This is an interesting question for a five year old to ask.  Apparently he is trying to understand what his dad is in tune with.  Funny how I missed the mark with my wife on figuring this out, but my five year old is seeking answers to this music connection in his dad.

           

This week Nicodemus, a man of the law who had all the answers, is coming to seek what this Messiah is in tune with.  What are the things that truly bring us to heaven?  When Jesus uses the metaphor that God’s Spirit is like the wind, it is a hard concept to grasp.  How can we ever be in tune with the wind?  The only way we know about wind is found by feeling it.  This is a much different explanation than what Nicodemus was getting from the men surrounding him.  They were teaching him to follow the Law, and that then they could know exactly where God’s Spirit was.  Jesus was teaching that such concepts as being born again, and God’s Spirit being like the wind, are difficult to grasp.  Instead, Jesus taught that His righteousness comes through in such a unique way, and that the Love of God is there by His example and by His fulfillment of giving righteousness to all men.  One of the most famous passages of Scripture is found in John 3:16, but how many times is this passage used in context?  How many times do we realize who is really seeking the answer from Jesus?  In this Lenten season we spend time learning to focus and grow in tune with our Lord and Savior.  And while some things will still be a mystery, the foundation of His love and promise are not a mystery at all.