May the music of the spheres, God's voice, sing to your heart today

I walked back to my hotel recently while on vacation from Downtown Presbyterian Church in Nashville humming. I was humming a tune with my lips, but my body was also humming. There's something about powerful music that sets my whole body thrumming. I'm sure some physicist could explain how that works, but I don't care. I just don't care.
I sat and listened to Marcus Hummon and Beth Nielsen Chapman as they shared their faith and their music. Both have written such hits as "This Kiss" for Faith Hill (Beth said it paid her way through college.) Marcus has written for the likes of the Dixie Chicks. It was all great. What talent they had and I sang along contentedly from the fourth row.
But, what had set my whole body and soul afire wasn't that. It was Ashley Cleveland. You may not have heard of Ashley, but we sing lots of her stuff in our early worship service. A recovering addict, Cleveland has one of the most compelling and powerful gospel voices I've ever heard. Her love of old hymns infuses them with new life, powerful spirit that moves the singer and listener both closer to the dangerous Holy Spirit.
Hearing Ashely live, as I have done several times over the last decade and a half, always brings me to tears. I thought about that as I walked home in the Nashville night, the breeze cooling me a little from the crowded hot sanctuary. I wondered why that night's particular rendition of "Come thou fount of every blessing" should be so moving.
"Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love." How easily my spirit wanders.
Is it the morning rush of thoughts, the mental to-do list that boots up as soon as I'm conscious that's causes my mind to wander?
Is it the ancient scars of hurts long past or bruises still recent that invite me to mull over my many hurts, wondering how God can let me suffer so?
Is it the fears of financial insecurity? The horrifying stories of abuse that a woman shared in my office last week? The struggle of a beautiful, honest, hard-working man who tears up when he tells me he can't find work without moving his family to the mid-west?
"Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love." How easily my spirit, my mind, my heart wanders."
And when I sit listening to Ashley Cleveland sing of the "Power of Love", the healing power of God, the old hymns of Jesus' love, I release and am healed. Perhaps for a day or a week.
And the music is always there to bring me home to God when I have, yet again, wandered.
Welcome home, her voice sings to me. Come back to Jesus, her guitar cries. Be strenthened, be encouraged, be comforted, I am here, God sings to me.

May the music of the spheres, God's voice, sing to your heart today.

Shalom, Pastor Paula

Ps I’d love to hear what you think!