One of these days some inventor is going to figure out how to travel back in time, and people will think, “Wow ! What a brain.”

I won’t be impressed, though. I’ve got my own time machine and I go back in time often. If I’m listening to the radio and I hear Simon and Garfunkel singing, “Sounds of Silence,” suddenly I’m sucked back to the 1960’s. I’m in my dad’s station wagon going to Mamaw Deloney’s house and suddenly that song comes on the radio and I’m there listening to it again, just like when I heard it that night so many years ago.

There used to be a song we sang in church, “Just a Little Talk With Jesus.” I flown back to the 1950’s a few times when that song worked its magic. Our church was small and the song leader often said, “Why don’t those of you who want to, come on up here and we’ll have a choir.”

Normally, there were about as many people in the choir loft as those who stayed in their pews.

But you’d find that nine-year old version of me up there, singing away.

“A Little Talk With Jesus,” had a strong bass part, so Bro. Billy and Bro. Adoph would show out–“Now let’s us …” and the women and the sissies would answer, “have a little talk with Jesus.” “

“Let us,” the basses bellowed. “Tell Him all about our troubles,” the high voices responded. On and on.

You’d think nine-year olds would be singing with the ladies, wouldn’t you? You’d think wrong. When my time machine lands I see me there squeaking out the bass voice with Bro. Billy and Bro. Adoph. I was impressive.

It’s not just church songs or songs on the radio that do it. The other day I heard a meadowlark out in the field and my time machine whisked me back 55 years to southwest Arkansas, way out in the country where I grew up. I saw it and felt it as well as a few of the people who lived then.

What a blessing, these songs! Makes you homesick for a lot of good things from the past, though.

Part of Our Present

Music isn’t just part of my history, though. Often, it helps me get through those tough times when I wake up at night and fear shoves a blade into my heart.

“I hear the tumult of the raging seas

as your waves and surging tides sweep over me.

“But each day the Lord pours his unfailing love upon me,

and through each night I sing his songs,

praying to God who gives me life.

(Ps. 42: 7,8 NLT)

Music also flows out of my soul and helps me express my love and adoration to the God who saved me.

“… be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ …” (Ephesians 5)

Music helps me to realize how blessed I am, especially during those tough times.

Hearing Future Music

There’s something pretty unique about my musical time machine, though. Sometimes, I hear music in front of me … my future! It wafts back like an enticing perfume and draws me forward. Sometimes I want to be there so bad it hurts.

My time machine (otherwise known as Revelations chapter 5) whisks me forward and suddenly I’m singing with the most incredible choir ever assembled (I can’t tell if I’m squeaking out the bass or what, but I’m there!)

“The moment he took the scroll, the Four Animals and Twenty-four Elders fell down and worshiped the Lamb. Each had a harp and each had a bowl, a gold bowl filled with incense, the prayers of God’s holy people. And they sang a new song:

“Worthy! Take the scroll, open its seals.
Slain! Paying in blood, you bought men and women,
Bought them back from all over the earth,
Bought them back for God.
Then you made them a Kingdom, Priests for our God,
Priest-kings to rule over the earth.

“I looked again. I heard a company of Angels around the Throne, the Animals, and the Elders—ten thousand times ten thousand their number, thousand after thousand after thousand in full song:

The slain Lamb is worthy!
Take the power, the wealth, the wisdom, the strength!
Take the honor, the glory, the blessing!

Then I heard every creature in Heaven and earth, in underworld and sea, join in, all voices in all places, singing:

To the One on the Throne! To the Lamb!
The blessing, the honor, the glory, the strength,
For age after age after age.

The Four Animals called out, “Oh, Yes!” The Elders fell to their knees and worshiped.

Revelations 5 (The Message)

Musical past, musical present, musical eternity. All I can say is, “Yes!” Thanks Lord for this time machine.