Ask any musician, sequence matters.
If we could take all the notes from the song “Amazing Grace,” put them in a bag, shake them up, and pour them onto a blank sheet of paper, no one would recognize one of the most treasured hymns of all time. That sort of haphazard arrangement seems ridiculous. Yet trying to arrange our spiritual notes into a God-glorifying song that encourages others to listen and sing along can be chaotic if we ignore His well-ordered sequence.
How do we discover a new song that transforms how we believe, feel, and act? Oh, you know what I’m going to say. We go to the Word!
In Matthew 5, Jesus showed us the Stairway to God, commonly known as “The Beatitudes.” Each characteristic is a well-designed step toward living in God’s presence. As with any journey, the first step is often the hardest. Because it’s hard, it’s often skipped. Skipping steps in Jesus’ plan never works. He will most often take us back and have us begin again if we miss this critical first step: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:3)
Being “poor in spirit” does NOT mean we feel less than, worthless, or pitiful. It does NOT mean we create a false sense of humility. It DOES mean we recognize our need for a Savior. We understand that on our own, we can never pay the sin bill we’ve incurred. It doesn’t matter how hard we work, how much we’ve accumulated, or how influential and well-respected we are. What matters is knowing we need a Savior.
The Old Testament tells the story of someone who had no idea what it meant to be poor in spirit. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon, had conquered Egypt and taken control of all its territories, including Judah (2 Kings 24). His massive Babylonian Empire provided the king with every indulgence his proud heart desired. He is famous for the building projects he undertook during his reign, especially the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. In other words, Nebuchadnezzar was a rich and powerful dude. It’s so easy for success to keep us from admitting that the song in our heart has way too many sour notes.
King Neb (as I like to call him when teaching kids) was way too big for his britches. Literally! He had a giant 90-foot statue of himself erected and demanded that everyone bow down to it. Daniel’s friends Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego wouldn’t do it and were thrown into the fiery furnace. God rescued them, and they came out of the fire smelling like a rose. (Daniel 3)
Now, you’d think that display of power would change Neb’s heart. But no! He gave God credit for the miracle, yet soon returned to being his proud, puffed-up self. Daniel told him to stop sinning and repent, but success is intoxicating. From the overflow of Neb’s heart came the sourest of notes, “As he looked out across the city, he said, ‘Look at this great city of Babylon! By my own mighty power, I have built this beautiful city as my royal residence to display my majestic splendor.’” (Daniel 4:30)
Me. Me. Me. That opposes being poor in spirit in a mighty way. When we miss this critical first step of our journey, the songs we sing sound like fingernails on a chalkboard. God loves us (just as he did King Nebuchadnezzar) too much to leave us that way. We might try to give God a note or two of praise as we pretend to journey toward Him, but there will always come a time when He returns us to the beginning.
God helped Neb recognize his need for Someone greater than himself. Neb’s dignity was stripped away, and he was forced to live like an animal, soon looking like one. Thankfully, Neb finally came to his senses. The end of Daniel 4 reveals the new song Nebuchadnezzar learned to sing. Want to hear it?
“After this time had passed, I, Nebuchadnezzar, looked up to heaven. My sanity returned, and I praised and worshiped the Most High and honored the one who lives forever.
“His rule is everlasting, and his kingdom is eternal. All the people of the earth are nothing compared to him. He does as he pleases among the angels of heaven and among the people of the earth. No one can stop him or say to him, ‘What do you mean by doing these things?’”
“When my sanity returned to me, so did my honor and glory and kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored as head of my kingdom, with even greater honor than before. “Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and glorify and honor the King of heaven. All his acts are just and true, and he is able to humble the proud.” (Daniel 4:34-37)
A new year is an excellent time to learn a new song. If you’ve missed a note, let God take you back. Recognize your need for a loving maestro who delights in directing your paths. God loves it when we let Him give us a new song.
Ask any musician, sequence matters.
