The Record Player

I went into one of those large book stores.
The kind of bookstore that was the nemesis in the movie, You’ve Got Mail.
The kind of bookstore that put The Shop Around The Corner out of business.
The kind of bookstore that has comfy chairs, a cafe, and lots of coffee.

I went in to buy my husband a book.
He loves history and this was a book I knew he would enjoy.
I went into the store through the back entrance.
It is the entrance where the audio visual department is located.

I entered the store and went back in time.
As soon as I walked in all sorts of record albums greeted me.
I felt like I was back in high school and college.
The inventory seemed to have changed overnight.

I remember when it happened once before.
I remember when albums were replaced by CD’s.
I remember when all of us had cassette tapes that we listened to on our Walkman.
I even remember the short-lived eight track tapes.

There I was standing in the music department as a grown woman.
A grown woman who walked through a time machine of sorts.
It is true that everything seems to come around again.
It seems as if this is the season of the vinyl record.

Years ago, my husband bought me a vintage record player.
I was so excited to play my old albums again.
My children seemed enthralled at the time thinking that this is the way it was.
They loved the fact that one little needle positioned just right played all the music.

It was fun to reminisce as I looked at my old album covers.
I could remember just what I was doing when I listened to each one.
I could remember the dances I went to when it was so crowded that no one could move.
I remember the first dance with my soon-to-be husband and the song that was playing.

I remember discovering a record store where I could trade in my old albums for new ones.
At the time, it seemed to be the best way to get new music.
Now I am sorry that I traded in some of my old albums which are considered vintage today.
I knew the people in the record store by name and they knew me since I was in all the time.

I can remember getting a new album and ripping off the plastic wrapping.
I would put the album on the record player and lay on the floor or the sofa.
I would listen to the album all the way through, getting up only to turn the record over.
When albums had liner notes with the lyrics I was so excited and memorized every word.

And now they are back.
Vinyl is back.
Vintage is in.
Nostalgia seems to be important.

I looked at a display advertising a turntable and two speakers.
It was actually a great price.
However the expense is incurred when you have to buy the albums.
You couldn’t possibly replace all your CD’s with vinyl, but you can start anew.

My younger son has talked about vinyl records for quite some time.
Some of the bands he listens to offered their music on vinyl.
He thinks the sound quality is better.
I smiled remembering that my first record player sounded like a sock was over the speaker.

But everything is new now and the sound is quite good.
People who remember how much albums meant to them may buy a record player again.
Most of us who listened to records still have our albums packed away.
Old is now new again.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
(2 Corinthians 5:17)

God makes everything new.
God does not patch our old selves together and stamp us, NEW!
God makes us new.
God gives us a new heart so that we are born again.

Literally born again.
He does not refurbish our old heart.
Rather, He gives us a new heart.
He gives us a New Song to sing.

We cannot play this New Song on an old record player.
Our vinyl is scratched and worn.
Only God, with needle point precision, can cause our Song to come forth.
Only God makes all things new.

Those of us who listened to albums remember when they skipped.
A scratch or even a piece of dust could interfere with the needle going across the vinyl.
A small everyday item fixed the problem.
The item was a sure-fire remedy.

It was a simple penny.
A copper penny could be taped down on the tone arm.
The penny added a little extra weight to keep the needle down and alleviate skipping.
It always worked so pennies were kept nearby just in case.

Skipping caused the same section of music to play over and over.
It was annoying and needed to be addressed.
New records did not skip.
But wear and tear on the old ones made scratches which caused skipping.

We are like that vinyl record.
God created us without scratches.
However sin entered the world and each of us now have our sinful scratches.
Those sinful scratches break our relationship with God.

We would keep playing the same song over and over had God not intervened.
He sent His Son, Jesus, with a New Song.
The everyday man who was also God came to make everything new.
The weight of all of our sin was placed on Jesus.

Jesus became the tone arm with the penny attached.
The weight that was placed on Jesus, instead of us, satisfied the wrath of God.
Jesus was crushed for our iniquities. (Isaiah 53:5)
The punishment that brought us peace was upon Him, and by His wounds we are healed.

Because Jesus had the weight of our sin placed on Him, our Song can play clearly.
The scratches are still there but Jesus took the added weight in our place.
Shouldn’t we sing to Him in praise?
Shouldn’t we play our New Song without interruptions?

Jesus made that possible.
Jesus took the weight of our sin on Himself.
He made sure the music plays.
And the Song is beautiful.

 

2 responses to “The Record Player”

1. Once again, Gina, there are those prickles behind my eyes, and I so identify with what you’ve written here. And this morning, as I’ve been pondering some of the readings in Jeremiah 31 — promises and warnings and calls to renewal and faith, I find this posting an added note of reassurance and hope. A new song, a new record. (That’s we called “vinyls” in our day, and I love the double meaning here!) How grateful I am this morning that Jesus was willing to be crushed for our sin, punished and wounded to bring us peace. But your quote of this scripture also brought me back one verse. I have my Daddy’s Bible on the bookshelf beside my chair, and I brought it down and trace the words that remind me that Jesus walks all of life with us, and He not only knows and cares, He actively participates in the burden. “Surely He hath borne our griefs and carried our sorrows . . . ” Jesus? Walking these hard days of grief with me? Taking, not only the punishment for my sin, but bearing my grief, carrying my sorrow? How precious is this? My heart can truly sing a New Song! Thanks for this post. On this day of wind and rain, may the Grace of God blow wild through your life to those around you.

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   • Thank you, MaryAnn, for your sweet words of encouragement. To know that we do not walk alone is a precious Truth. To know that Jesus took the weight of our sin on Himself makes me want to worship Him even more in gratitude. I am so delighted that the post blessed you on this rainy day.
     Gina

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