Jesus on the Radio

“Are we there yet? Are we there yet? Are we there yet?”

Have you been asked this question while driving to your destination? Maybe you’re the one usually asking this question.

My 4 year old doesn’t ask this yet, but the dialogue that takes place in the car as we commute to school, appointments, or Puglix (as he calls it) leaves me in awe. He really is a remarkable little boy (not as remarkable as your son, brother, or grandson, but still).

The questions I get from him most often are “What song is this?” and “How do we get back home?”

Both equally fitting for him. He likes music and has particular songs in his queue (Brother by Need to Breathe is at the top), though he is not as much of a singer/performer as baby sister is. He is also my homebody. This kid loves nothing more than to wake up, double check that it’s Saturday, and proceed to run around playing with all of his favorite toys and help his dad with whatever fixin’ and mendin’ is on the agenda.

I’ve grown accustomed to fielding the “What song is this?” question and am thankful for 2020 technology that displays the song and artist right on the screen. I appease him by answering the incessant “What song is this?” and he obliges my hitting repeat on whatever song is stuck in my head for the week. After about 3 repetitions of this song, Grey asked me a different question.

“Is that Jesus on the radio?”

Wow. I thought about how to answer. The most obvious answer is no. It is not literally Jesus singing on the radio. But didn’t he inspire the words and music? He is in every line and lyric, every prose and producer, every sanctuary and song.

I ended up telling him that no, the song is called God That Saves, but Jesus wasn’t actually the one singing it. My response was moot though, as he insists that it is Jesus singing directly to him when the song plays.

Oh, to have child-like faith.

Can you hear Jesus singing to you? Can you hear him when you play that song? Do your hands involuntarily lift towards the sky when you sing that chorus? Is there a resounding melody that plays in your head when you are praying?

The first time Jesus sang to me that I distinctly remember was on our wedding day. With all the excitement and jitters, I was worried I would not remember the moment. During the first prayer of our ceremony, I asked God to let me be present. The old gospel song “Surely, the Presence” played in my mind, allowing me to relax and enjoy the sweet matrimonial ceremony.

If you’ve been reading Salty but Sweet very long, you know that I am really not musically inclined and definitely not a talented singer. But I love that God still uses music to remind me of His love for me. His promises for me. His ability to break through the messes we find ourselves in and give us a song of hope.

He has put a new song in my mouth. He has given me reason to praise. He has provided music for me to sing and dance and share.

I have added a music page as a place where you can access all of the songs I reference in one place. I hope that when you listen, you hear Jesus on the radio.

If you are not there yet, and are still thinking of Grey’s other question “How do we get back home?”, take comfort in knowing that Jesus is on the other side of that coin, too. I don’t know anything about using the North Star or how to unfold a paper map and find my way back home. But I can tell you all about falling to your knees and asking for directions.

I hear people asking for signs all the time. Don’t miss them. It’s probably not a shooting star or anything like that, but it might be something your kid says in the car. It might be an opportunity that presents itself to you. It might be a door that closes. It might be a song you hear on a station you didn’t even mean to have your dial set on.

There’s always a way back home. Jesus has a spot ready for you. It may not be in the choir, but He needs people to clean up behind the choir, too. He needs people who are willing to make a joyful noise and point others back to him. He knows you’re tired of feeling like you’re not there yet. He knows you feel like you’ve been stuck in the car for too long. He knows you feel like you’ve taken one too many wrong turns. But you don’t have to stay where you are. You can get back home.

Ephesians 5:19 “Speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord.”

Psalm 40:3 “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear the Lord and put their trust in him.”

Luke 15:32 “But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.”