“This is my Father’s world, /And to my listening ears / All nature sings and round me rings / The music of the spheres. / This is my Father’s world: / I rest me in the thought / Of rocks and trees, of sky and seas — / His hand the wonders wrought.”- Lutheran Book of Worship 554, verse 1
“You will go out in joy and be led forth in peace; the mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.”- Isaiah 55:12 (NIV)
“Praise almost seems to be inner health made audible.”- C. S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms
My mother’s twin brother, Elmer Dahlke, manifested a special gift in music. As a young child, he possessed the ability to play a toy saxophone and a concertina by ear. Then, at the age of nine, Elmer asked for violin lessons. He continued those lessons all through grade school. Most significantly, beginning with the second semester of his freshman year at North Division High School in Milwaukee, Elmer was chosen to play in the senior orchestra.
Eventually, the conductor promoted Elmer to associate concertmaster, seated next to the concertmaster (first chair). And, in his junior or senior year, Elmer was part of a string quartet (two violinists, violist, cellist) representing North Division at a nationwide competition at the Stevens (now Hilton) Hotel in downtown Chicago. Finally, while stationed at Naval Station Great Lakes during World War II, Elmer played with the Waukegan Philharmonic Orchestra.
Elmer also loved listening to violin music, especially the works of Austrian-born American violinist and composer Fritz Kreisler (1875-1962). One composition I recall hearing often on Elmer’s stereo was Kreisler’s Caprice Viennois, Op. 2 (1910) – the music of the spheres. Writing in A Million Little Miracles, Mark Batterson stresses that God rejoices over us with singing. Above all, God sings songs of deliverance over us all the time. Even though they may be inaudible to human ears!
So, Pastor Batterson queries, what’s happening right now? All creation sings (or strings) in four-part harmony — in heaven, on earth, under the earth, and in the sea. Thus, all creation sings back to God, the Great Conductor. Legendary entomologist Lewis Thomas described the music of the spheres:
“If we had better hearing, and could discern the descants of sea birds, the rhythmic tympani of schools of mollusks, or even the distant harmonics of midges hanging over meadows in the sun, the combined sound would lift us off our feet.”
Above all, Mark observes, every type of atom in the world sings a different song. Because each atom emits sound at a unique frequency. For example, the carbon atom produces the same harmonic scale at Gregorian chant. In fact, about fifty years ago, when depressed monks increased their diet of Gregorian chants, it worked like a charm. The process created deep inward feelings of joy.
In conclusion, Pastor Batterson underscores, a great movie demands a great soundtrack. The same holds true for life. Our soundtrack, the music of the spheres, consists of worship. When the Jewish people took a pilgrimage to Jerusalem, they sang Psalms of Ascent on their journey. When we worship, we harmonize with heaven. Therefore, Mark exhorts:
“Few things are more cathartic, more catalytic than worship. Because that’s what we’re created to do. You can’t not worship. Either you will worship God with a capital G, or you will substitute a lesser god. Not only does worship improve vagal tone, but is also gets us on God’s wavelength. It helps us discern the still small voice of the Spirit, as well as prophetic imagination.”
Flip on the wonder switch. And when you do you, do it all to the glory of God!
This was most beautiful! I strongly relate to this devotion. The "audio" of Jesus through His creations speak to my heart and soul most always. I'd surely be unable to live without them.