The Quickening

I was blessed today by the story of Henry.
Henry is a man who has been in a nursing home for ten years.
Henry spends his days, unresponsive, in a wheelchair.
His head rests on his folded hands.
Henry was having seizures and his wife could not care for him.
He was placed in the nursing home for round the clock care.
The nurses and therapists were at a loss as to how they could reach Henry.

His daughter spoke lovingly about her father.
He always loved to sing.
He made up a song about everything.
There were pictures of him lifting her up in his arms.
He was young, smiling…
Not at all the same man.

After hearing that Henry loved music, the recreational therapist had an idea.
Henry quoted the Bible often, so she thought that if they could find religious music, he may respond.

She worked with music therapists and it was decided that they would give Henry his own iPod and make playlists of songs they thought he would like.
Anything was worth a try.
Would Henry even accept the headphones?
How would they know if the volume was too loud for him?

The therapist approached Henry and put the headphones on his head.
His expression was priceless when he first heard the music.
His eyes lit up. His feet were tapping.
His arms still linked on the wheelchair tray, were swaying side to side.
Henry began to sing.

The music therapist spoke about how music affects people.
He called music the “quickening art”.

Soon, when they asked Henry questions, he answered.
This was not the same man.
He proceeded to sing songs without missing any words.

It was as if something inside Henry woke up.
He explained that the Lord was good to him and the Lord gave him the sounds.
He said that music is a band of love and that people need that love.

I was thinking about this story and am delighted that we will have music in heaven.
There will be singing…worshipful singing.
As Henry said, the Lord gave us the sounds.

The Holy Spirit is a quickening artist, since he quickens an unresponsive heart.
We, like Henry, go through life with our heads resting on our folded hands.
Nothing can get through.
But then the Holy Spirit removes our heart of stone and gives us a heart of flesh.

But because of His great love for us, God who is rich in mercy, made us alive [quickened us] with Christ even when we were dead in transgressions-it is by grace you have been saved. (Ephesians 2: 5)

We hear His melody. It speaks to our heart. We are alive in Christ.
We make beautiful music.

How many Henry’s need to hear His melody today?

I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them. I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Then they will follow My decrees and be careful to keep My laws. They will be My people and I will be their God.
(Ezekiel 11: 19, 20)

 

2 responses to “The Quickening”

1. How cool is that!!!

   Reply

   • Music touches something deep within us like nothing else can.
     It goes right to the heart.
     I cannot imagine a day without music !!!

     Reply