There are many ways to look at God’s amazing relationship with humans: people with different talents, interests, and backgrounds see different aspects of God more clearly. It enriches us when we try to see from another person’s perspective. “God’s Cycle of Music: A Musician’s Explanation of God’s Purpose and Meaning for Our Lives” (Hope Publishing House, 2009) is a look at God’s redemption from the viewpoint of Mark Paulson, a professional pianist and piano teacher in New Jersey..Some of Paulson’s analogies are expected: it’s almost automatic to cast God as the Composer of the music of life. Yet several of his analogies delightfully caught me off guard. I had never thought of the Holy Spirit as a Conductor, or Jesus as an Agent. In a compact style, Paulson brings up images for several aspects of the Christian experience; then allows us to expand and develop those images, creating our own variations on .the theme. For example, he suggests comparing spiritual disciplines like prayer and fasting to practicing scales and etudes. He spins off a list of nine disciplines, gives a paragraph or two on each one for a starter, then encourages your imagination to expand and apply the idea.
Occasionally an analogy gets weak and seems overshadowed by more familiar, non-musical expressions. Any metaphor can only be stretched so far before breaks down, but before that point the metaphor enriches and expands the mind and the heart that considers it. “God’s Cycle of Music” is well worth reading and then building upon. You can purchase the book here.
-- Jerry Starks
1 comment:
The bible gives us more information on God than we can ever fully comprehend. However, one of the most incredible things about God is that He desires to have a personal relationship with us. We are unique individuals but yet God is able to interact with all of His people in very special ways. This book presents just one perspective of God. However,the information in the book is always based on verses that are found in the bible.
Jerry has written a wonderful summary of the book. I especially appreciate his suggestions to take the examples and expand them further. Apply the concepts to your own life and use them to develop your own ideas of the true and living God. The book is a simple book that anyone can understand. However,the personal applications are endless.
The book is available at Amazon.com. If you would like to see an unedited version of the book on line before it went to the publisher, go to www.godscycleofmusic.com However, the hard copy of the book gives a much better presentation of the material.
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