July 29, 1998 Devotional


By Erik Farstad



"Praise the Lord, for the Lord is good; sing praise to his name, for that is pleasant." Psalm 135:3

Have you ever stopped to listen to the sounds of the world around you? Maybe you hear cars rushing by, people chattering about and the hustle bustle of everyday life. Have you ever stopped to hear the noise of peace? Stop, yes just stop. What do you hear? I hope you hear the music of Christ's sweet symphony.

My wife plays the harp, yes a literal angel from above. When she plays I'm reminded of heaven and how I long to be there. I long to walk and talk with Jesus, to hold his hand and to actually hear his audible voice. How sweet that will be. Yet for now, what do I have? What do you have? A question we all must ask and then answer. I say now is that time.

When you look around at the world you may see turmoil, scandal and violence. You may also see beauty, peace and love. The two exist together in this world. The question is which one will you choose to live in? This world has a lot to offer an individual. You can go just about anywhere, do just about anything and expect to live until you're about 75 years old. How old are you now? What have you done? What will you do? Where will you go? Why all these questions you may ask? Well, I'm trying to paint you a picture. I'm trying to force you into a corner, to look at your life and ask those difficult questions.

Why do you hurt, struggle or feel bad? Why do you feel empty, alone or cold? Why is that? Well, something must have gone wrong. You turned down the wrong road. Believed in the wrong thing. You scream "WHY" and wonder when it will all end. My dear friends the ending is Now, the time is Now, and the moment is Now. You desire and want to hear the sound of peace. You desire to close your eyes and have faith that you will wake up to a morning that will bring satisfaction and joy. You want to hear the symphony of grace! Let me tell you right now, right where you are, you can have it.

You are a believer in Christ, but are feeling low and weary. You are searching for truth; TODAY you have found your answer. Jesus is here with you right now, stretching out His loving arms to bring you close. He will take away your pain, your guilt, your sorrow and your sins. He will wash you forever with the blood of redemption. You will one-day walk through the gates of Heaven rejoicing, singing praise to His name. He is here, come to Him now. Pray in His name for Him to clean you as white as snow, for forgiveness of sins, guidance in your life and peace unto your heart. Now stand with me and in one voice let us rejoice:

"HOW SWEET IT IS!"

Now if you close your eyes and listen carefully, you will hear the sound of Jesus' sweet symphony playing in your heart. This gift is special; you are special and are loved by the God of eternity. May you be blessed today and always.

Go forth and take your music unto the world that needs to hear the sweet music of Christ!

In Him, "E"