The Music We Make

Song lyrics and poetry often remind us that life is a journey to be enjoyed, not just a final destination. True, but what about the seasons when the path is arduous and the journey is nearly unbearable?

For American composer Christopher Theofanidis, life is about something greater than the journey: "For me, the greatest pleasure is not the work itself, but the music it makes."

Theofanidis, a Yale professor, was inspired by the brilliant 12th-century compositions of Hildegard of Bingen when he wrote his orchestral work Rainbow Body. First presented by the Houston Symphony in 2000, Rainbow Body has now been performed by more than 150 orchestras internationally -- including the Oregon Symphony in 2009 and 2019 -- and is one of the most often-performed orchestral works of the new millennium.

What compositions have you drafted in your life -- whether accomplishments at work, assignments in school, children you've raised, projects you've completed, or relationships you've had? When you consider the music of your life, have you measured the impact on those around you -- then, now, and in days to come? What if we permit ourselves to see God's pleasure both in the work itself and, as Theofanidis says, in the music that emerges from the work? 

My lips will shout for joy
    when I sing praise to you—
    I whom you have delivered. (Psalm 71:23)

 God's pleasure is in the journey, the work, the final destination, AND the music we make. What songs will you sing today?

Blessings on your week,

Jennie