Earlier today on Bellshill Salvation Army Band’s Facebook page I shared some devotions. I’d like to share those devotions with you tonight.
A few weeks ago I had the radio on in the car, more just for a noise in the background rather than to particularly listen to it. However, at one point my attention was caught by a particular song that was playing – The melody more than anything caught my attention, but when I started to listen as the music played, I found the words of the song we good too. After the song finished playing I hoped the presenter would tell me the title of the song and/or the artist, but they didn’t.
I tried to remember some of the lyrics of the song so I could google it later, but unsurprisingly by the time I thought about it again, I had completely forgotten all of the lyrics, so I was unable to find the title and artist of the song – it was lost somewhere in my memory.
While thinking about this again this week, I was reminded of the melody ‘The Lost Chord’ that was composed by Arthur Sullivan in 1877 at the bedside of his brother Fred, during Fred’s last illness. The lyrics of the song were written as a poem by Adelaide Anne Procter and were called ‘A Lost Chord’.
Just I I was unable to remember or find the words again of the song I heard, so the lyrics of ‘A Lost Chord’ recount trying to find a particular chord of music again as it brought calm and peace from a world in turmoil. That sounds like something we could all do with doesn’t it?
The good news is, if we focus on God and all He wants us to be, we too will experience the calm and peace that only God can provide in this world full of conflicts and turmoil.
A Lost Chord Seated one day at the organ, I was weary and ill at ease, And my fingers wandered idly Over the noisy keys. I know not what I was playing, Or what I was dreaming then; But I struck one chord of music, Like the sound of a great Amen. It flooded the crimson twilight, Like the close of an angel's psalm, And it lay on my fevered spirit With a touch of infinite calm. It quieted pain and sorrow, Like love overcoming strife; It seemed the harmonious echo From our discordant life. It linked all perplexèd meanings Into one perfect peace, And trembled away into silence As if it were loth to cease. I have sought, but I seek it vainly, That one lost chord divine, Which came from the soul of the organ, And entered into mine. It may be that death's bright angel Will speak in that chord again, It may be that only in Heav'n I shall hear that grand Amen.
The Distinct Dot 