The Unending Nature of Song
I had an epiphany the other night. I was talking with a neighbor and good friend. He’s a piano freak who’s learning more guitar, whereas I’m a guitar freak who’s learning more piano. We were going back and forth about theory and the benefits of piano or guitar in relation to difference musical efforts.
Then I considered the outplay of eternity.
The epiphany went like this:
We’re already experiencing the rest of eternity. We are not eternal, only Yahweh is eternal because he has neither a beginning nor an ending. We, like all things in the earthly and heavenly realms, are created. So we have a beginning. Yet, we won’t have an end. Scripture tells us we’ll live forever, either with our Creator or without him, based on our own nature and will. Thus, we don’t experience the “front” of eternity…because there is no “front” with eternity. But we will (and already) experience the “back” of eternity…the rest of existence, which will never end.
In ancient times God showed a man a glimpse of heaven. What was happening? Worship. Song. Music. Tones. Notes. Arrangement. Melody. Perhaps harmonies and accompanyment? Centuries later another man was given an even longer glimpse, not only of God’s own throne but into the future, to the end of the age and into the age to come. What did he see? Worship. Song. Music. Chorus. A subtle thought came to me…
Perhaps what I know of music now will be used for the rest eternity.
There are many things in this life which will not continue in the age to come. The house I constantly tinker with, my guitars, my clothes, cameras, photos, recordings, all that material stuff will be done away with and replaced with a new creation. But the stuff of my character, it appears, will stay with me forever.
The kind of person I am now is the kind of person I will be in eternity.
As it relates to song…could it be that what I know of music now will be used in heaven? Maybe the elements of song will be new, elevated and somehow more fitting for the ears of the Divine, but maybe what I know now will serve Him them?
And joy came to me. My soul smiled like a kid who overhears his parents talking about going for ice cream. My pleasure in music was infused with anticipation. I saw it new. A great journey, song. Unending, song.
