If the first half of this very long chapter bored you to tears, I hope the middle section revived your soul and had your heart leaping with joy. Admittedly, the first section of this chapter is a snoozefest, but if you read along, you will recognize some important names and might find some interesting tidbits. The middle section is where it’s at for me today though. The party. The celebration. Queue the music! This celebration is impressive, people! If you got a little lost between Dung Gate and Fish Gate, a flip back to Chapter 3 might offer a good refresher. If you remember correctly, the gate around Jerusalem is shaped like a foot with no toes, so this celebration starts at the base of the heal, and the band splits in two and marches on both sides to the top of the foot, errr, I mean wall. Now, imagine it. There were hundreds of these guys, all musicians and singers, who were marching and singing and dancing and playing music all along the sides of the city. And they weren’t just marching alongside the new wall: they were marching ON TOP of the wall! So, everyone inside the city walls was surrounded by celebration, and imagine how the music sounded from inside the city! And for miles outside the city wall! So, they played and they marched on the wall they’d just built together with their own bare hands, and when they get to the top of the wall, they appointed people to keep the celebration vibe going. What a glorious day! I bet they all went to bed that night with smiles on their faces!
One of my favorite verses from this chapter comes at the very end, and I wanted to mention it and give a shoutout to all the musicians out there, for you are chosen, and here is Scriptural proof (v. 46): “The custom of having choir directors to lead the choirs in hymns of praise and thanksgiving to God began long ago in the days of David and Asaph.” Gorgeous. I hope that encourages you in your unique and set-apart giftings today. We all need good tunes!
Writing prompt: top 10
What’s your favorite song? That’s hard to answer for a lot of people because there are a lot of genres, and I like a lot of songs. How about you? Music is super important. Even if you’re not a regular listener of music, you’d be surprised about how much music you actually hear each day. It’s powerful stuff. Today write about one song that makes you incredibly joyful, or write about your favorite 10 songs and a little about why they are special to you. OR, alternatively, if you feel you’re not a music lover, take a day to listen for music in your everyday surroundings. Write down each time you hear a little jingle or background music on a commercial, and imagine what life might be like if those extra little sounds didn’t exist.
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