Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world-the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions-is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever. (1 John 2:15-17)
Culture plays a tune our ears have been accustomed to admiring. We must retrain them, and this must be done by listening repeatedly to a better sound. This sound may at first seem irrelevant, dull, and outdated since our hearing has already been warped by the world’s form. And this world would draw us away from music which would truly delight our souls. A sound so pure so transcendent so marvelous that naturally we do not have the capacity in and of ourselves to comprehend it.
So, where do we find ears fit for this kind of listening? Where can we buy the equipment to harness this sound?
We go to our Father. We go directly to the Creator of the world. The one in whom we “live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:28). He had given us the ears we seek, but we gave them up for malfunctioning imitations because we delighted in the sound of death, though it was cloaked in a lie as life, like a wolf in a sheep’s skin.
Our Father, The Father, sacrificed his Son’s (Jesus) perfect listening so that more might call upon him to play the sweet sound of salvation. To play a tune of cheer and joyful noise, Good News to those who have rejected death’s droll (no matter how it is painted) and long for a lovelier lyric.
That is love, and to the trained ear it is the most marvelous masterpiece. We who have thrown out our abilities to listen to living music have again the opportunity to hear.
Let these verses be a warning to not go after that which is merely dressed-up dross (worthless and dangerous material). Do not pursue the song of self; It may last 80 years. Fight for, neigh, die to listen to the everlasting refrain of the beauty of God and his gracious artistry to weave our joy into his sovereign plan for the world.
Abide forever. Do the will of God. Love (1 John 4:7-12).
I really like this.
Thanks buddy. Prayin’ that things are going solid for you.