Since tomorrow is Ash Wednesday and that leads up to Easter, a bunch of authors have gotten together to share book excerpts in Tina Gayle's "Egg-cerpt Exchange" blog hop again this year and I'm one of them!
Since Lent and Easter are very special to me, I'd like to focus on my devotional Love is A Rose for this egg-cerpt exchange so here again are the details....
Music is the magical entry
into the spirit world; the golden gate into the Kingdom of God. But we mustn’t
be of the mindset that God only uses Christian music to reach out and touch our
mind, heart and spirit. God uses any and every means
available to speak to His children.
Our job is to be open and
receptive.
In this devotional, Pamela S
Thibodeaux shares how God opened her spirit to a deeper understanding of the
abundance of His grace and mercy through the words of the song, The Rose sung by Country & Western
artist Conway Twitty.
Pamela offers Seeds to Ponder and a prayer as she
parallels the love of God and the Christian life to each verse of the song.
EGG-CERPT:
The
Bible talks of harps playing and choirs of angelic hosts singing. It also tells
us to “make a joyful noise unto the Lord.” The Israelites were ordered to send
the praise and worship team—playing musical instruments, dancing and
singing—ahead of the soldiers into battle. So there must be something
special and powerful about music.
Music
is an intricate element of worship, an aspect of praise that brings you into
intimate proximity with the Lord. Music lifts you physically (fatigue
disappears, pain is forgotten), mentally (your mind is filled with it, erasing
everything else), emotionally (you are saturated with joy and peace) and
spiritually (your spirit soars on the wings of His); opening your heart and
mind to receive more of God’s presence, more of His truth.
Music
is the magical entry into the spirit world; the golden gate into the Kingdom of
God. But we mustn’t be of the mindset that God only uses Christian music to
reach out and touch our mind, heart and spirit. God uses any and every
means available to speak to His children.
Our
job is to be open and receptive.
Nearly
every Christian song I hear touches my heart in some way, urging me into
a closer walk with God and bringing me a truer knowledge of Jesus. Amazingly
though, the one song that really opened my spirit to a deeper understanding of
the abundance of His grace and mercy wasn’t a Christian song but a Country one.
I’ll
never forget the morning in 1995 when The Rose as performed by Conway
Twitty came to me in its entirety with Bible references or Scriptures
correlating to every verse…
Some say love, it is a
river that drowns the tender reed…“A bruised reed He will not break.”
Some say love, it is a
razor that leaves your soul to bleed….Bible Conversion; a cutting or stripping
away of old beliefs.
Some say love, it is a
hunger, an endless, aching need…"As the hind longs for running
water, so my soul longs for thee oh God...”
I say love, it is a
flower, and you its only seed…“If you have faith the size of a mustard
seed…”
It’s the heart, afraid
of breaking, that never learns to dance… David danced before the Lord.
It's the dream, afraid
of waking, that never takes the chance…"Entrust your works
unto the Lord and your plans will succeed."
It's the one who won't
be taken, who cannot seem to give…“Love is not selfish…For God so loved the world
He GAVE…!”
And the soul, afraid of
dying, that never learns to live…"What shall a man give in exchange
for his soul…For what is man profited if he should gain the whole world but
lose his soul?” Or more accurately…“Let
not your heart be anxious, for I am with you always, even unto the end of
time.”
When the night has been
too lonely, and the road has been too long…"I am going but I
will not leave you alone. I will send you a comforter, a counselor to guide and
help you.”
And you think that love
is only for the lucky and the strong…. “God is love and he who dwells in love
dwells with God. The meek shall inherit the earth…blessed are the poor in
spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of God.”
Just remember in the
winter
(of darkness and sin)....Jesus died so that we might have life, He conquered
sin and darkness…. “I came so that you might have life, in abundance, to the
full, overflowing.”
Far beneath the bitter
snows...How
can something so beautiful, so pure, be so bitter and cold? God is light. He
washes us clean with the shed blood of His Son so that we might be as pure as
the snow.
Lies the seed, (of faith)...that with the sun's (Son's) love...in the spring... (season of new birth, new life)...becomes the rose (an attractive flower).
Wow,
what a revelation!
I
immediately sat down and wrote the ensuing compilation paralleling the love of
God and the life of a Christian to the words of this song.
Why
do you suppose God used a country song to teach me about Himself?
I
believe God was using a means familiar to me to show the depth and power of His
love for me.
It
is my prayer the words contained herein will do the same for you.
Before
I begin, let me answer a few questions about myself. I am not a minister or
even a candidate for the ministry. I have no degree or doctorate in psychology
or anything resembling either. I am simply a Christian housewife and mother
who's been blessed with a talent for writing and who desires to glorify the
Lord of my life with that talent.
As
I said in my opening statement, the Lord led me to write this analogy so the
words in it (and I'm sure He also led the songwriter to write such a beautiful
song) are His, guided through me by the power of the Holy Spirit to speak to
you. So, let's begin.
Love is A Rose can be Purchased at:
Smashwords for E-Readers and Deeper Shopping!
Find me at:
http://pamelathibodeaux.com
http://pamswildroseblog.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/psthib
https://www.facebook.com/pamelasthibodeaux
Thanks for letting me share!
Pamela S Thibodeaux
"Inspirational with an Edge!" ™
