The Melody of Lent

 

This is day three of opening our hearts and soul to Yiruma, a South Korea-born piano player.  I recently learned that his father is a pastor, and he began studying the piano at age 5.  I am always amazed watching his finger fly effortlessly across all 88 keys on the piano.  I am also a bit envious wishing I could do that because the sounds he brings forth speak and sing to me.  Remember, the invitation this week is to listen not only critically, but creatively.  Not to write a review of what we are hearing, but to see what is renewed within you.  On Monday, I gave you this prayer practice:

·        First, listen one time through the entire piece.  Pay attention to any emotion that is evoked or provoked from the piece.

·        Second, listen again, this time you may want to imagine a story that goes along with this piece of music – or write down words that stir and swirl in response.  One day this week, you may want to get out your crayons or colored pencils connecting your hand to the melody of the music.

·        Third, enter a period of silence.  Attend, pay attention to the reverberations of both the music of Yiruma and the response from your soul sit side-by-side.  What awakens within your awareness of this moment? 

The first piece from Yiruma is entitled, A River Flows in You.  I invite you to click on the link above and enter prayerfully and purposefully into this time.

Okay, confession time: this is my hands down favorite Yiruma piece.  I could listen to this countless times and never get tired.  I love the refrain that he plays starting at the 45 second mark, for me that is the soundtrack to my soul.  There is an energy to the melody that causes me to feel fully alive.  I find the repetition of notes to be like the way life finds a repeating rhythm and melody.  There are moments when life is flowing as the piece starts.  Then there are times when life is crashing and crumbling – like the way the piece slows down at the 2-minute mark.  Only to have that refrain come back like a grace that revives and restores us.  My soul says, “Amen” to all this. 

I ponder the way there is a river running through the Bible.  In the beginning how the river watered the Garden of Eden; how Jacob wrestled with God by a river; how Moses parted a river (okay, I know it was the Red Sea…but go with me on this); how Joshua parted the Jordan River; how Jesus went down to that same river to be baptized and blessed by God.  This piece of music stirs my soul in ways that reminds me who and whose I am baptized and beloved by God. 

Where do you need the refreshing water to flow through you today?

What would it look like to have water gush forth from you?  Or, better yet, what would it feel like?

What colors from your crayon box would you use to color this picture?  What words surface as you lean in and listen to this beautiful piece?  Feel free to post in the comments.

Prayer: God, You promise us that there is a healing river that can renew and restore all things.  Help us drink deeply of that water this day and help us share Your love with each person whose path crosses our own this day. Amen.