"Theme Songs"

 

“Theme Songs”

 

Years ago a theme song from a TV show rented space in Karen’s and my heads but we couldn’t remember the program. This bothered us for months until Karen hummed the tune to a friend who immediately recognized it as coming from “The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour”. It’s now a permanent resident in our gray matter along with many other theme songs—some with words, some without them—from TV shows, movies and ministry broadcasts. A few examples:

*TV—classic programs such as “I Love Lucy”, “Batman” and who can forget “The Lone Ranger” and “The William Tell Overture”? (Someone once described a person of culture as one who could listen to “William Tell” and not think of “The Lone Ranger”.)

*Movies—“Somewhere My Love” (“Doctor Zhivago”); “Where Do I Begin?” (“Love Story”); “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” (“The Wizard of Oz”).

*Ministry broadcasts—“Count Your Blessings” (Ralph Montanus, a blind New York City area pastor and evangelist); “How Firm a Foundation” (“Through the Bible” with Dr. J. Vernon McGee); “Tell Me the Story of Jesus” (“Radio Bible Class”, now known as “Our Daily Bread”).

You can likely think of others which will get the nostalgia juices flowing.

As I thought about these melodies of days gone by I found myself asking, “What’s the theme song in Heaven?” I believe I discovered the answer in Revelation 4:8: “…The four living creatures…never stop saying: ‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.’” (The Greek word for “saying” is translated “singing” in Revelation 5:12-13, where “…many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands…” are joined by “…every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea….” uniting with the living creatures in worshipping Christ.) Think of it—you and I will lift up our voices in worship and praise with everyone God has created! We can warm up for this incredible time with a rousing rendition of Reginald Heber’s great hymn from 1826 “Holy, Holy, Holy”, maybe the best theme song for the church today given its repetition in Heaven. But whatever we choose for ourselves, our churches or any other context, let’s be sure it reflects the truth of God’s Word in honoring the One who gave us voices to lift up to Him.

 

Grace and Blessings!

Jim McMillan