I share the sentiments, Captain von Trapp

On my 50 minute drive to work each day, I listen to the radio - mostly Christian talk radio, with political talk radio, Country music, and Classic Rock thrown in for good measure from time to time.  Sometimes, though, I like to turn off the radio and just listen.  I want to tune out the distractions and hear if God wants to speak to me.  Oh, God's never spoken audibly to me, but I have no doubt that He, from time to time, puts thoughts in my mind when I slow down enough to listen - really listen.

For some reason on my drive to work a couple of weeks ago, God reminded me of Rodgers and Hammerstein's musical, "The Sound of Music." I'm sure you've seen it numerous times, right?  To set up what I'm talking about, the von Trapps are an Austrian family whose patriarch is a Captain in the Navy.  The Nazis have over-run the country and are forcing Captain von Trapp to join the Nazi navy.

Captain von Trapp loves his country.  He loved the beauty of his homeland, the freedom they enjoyed, his family and the happiness they shared - all of which was in the midst of being shattered by tyranny and war. There is a poignant part of the musical where the von Trapps are at the Salzburg Festival and Captain von Trapp comes to the stage with his guitar and sings a love song.  A passionate, sentimental love song for his country and his family, both of which he already was missing before he was even gone!

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No doubt you remember it.  It was one of the high points of the musical, I thought. Captain von Trapp got choked up midway through the song and Julie Andrews (Fraulein Maria) had to help him finish singing it. The song I'm talking about is Edelweiss.  Edelweiss is a white flower from Austria shown below:

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I'm not trying to be overly dramatic, but sometimes I feel a kinship with Captain von Trapp.  If you listen to enough news and have eyes to see and ears to hear what is going on in our world, you know that from a Biblical Christian's worldview, things are trending downward as we've turned our backs on Truth. Sometimes I lament the world that we're leaving to our children and get discouraged at the potential of any one person's ability to do anything to stem the tide of our popular culture that is sweeping us out to sea. We've broken free of our Biblical moorings and we're drifting.  A ship without an anchor is at the mercy of the sea.  The winds of change fill the sails and we're heading straight for the rocks.  A shipwreck seems imminent.

Like Captain von Trapp loves his beloved Austria, I love my Lord.  I'm saddened by the descent into moral depravity, bankruptcy of virtues, Godless philosophy, and moral relativism we find ourselves in just as Captain von Trapp is saddened by the cruel, Nazi rule that has overtaken his country.  I'm not even talking about America. I'm talking about the entire world in which we live.  

Captain von Trapp is longing to escape.  As he sings Edelweiss at the Salzburg Festival, he knows that he, Maria, and the children will very soon escape over the mountains to Switzerland, where he and his loved ones will find freedom and happiness!  You see, that escape is one I'm longing for.  While I am a current citizen of the United States of America, the Good Book  tells us that my permanent citizenship is elsewhere:

Philippians 3:20

New American Standard Bible (NASB)

20 For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ;

And I am eagerly waiting on my Savior.  While I wait on Him, I'll work.  There's lots to do.  And while I wait and work, I might even sing, because the hills are alive with music.

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And guess who owns the hills and the cattle that are on them?  He's in control and will provide that lasting peace, joy, and freedom that we long for.

Back in the 80's in church, we used to sing a song of benediction where we would hold hands with our brothers and sisters in Christ across the pews and sing a song that was sung to the tune of Edelweiss.  The words went like this:

Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, Hallelujah!
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, Hallelujah!
King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Praise His Name Forever!
Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, Praise the Lord, Hallelujah!

Praise Him indeed.