Last Saturday evening, after hearing guitarist Robin Bullock perform in person at the Mississippi River Celtic Music Festival, I rushed to the lobby to buy one of his CDs — Rosewood Castle (to hear samples, follow the link below). I don’t know if it’s possible to wear out a CD just by playing it, but if so, I’ll have to replace this one within a month, because I’ve listened to nothing else for the past week!
There is no evidence anywhere on the CD case that Mr. Bullock puts his faith in Jesus Christ. I hope so, because I want to hear him play over and over again in heaven. But whether or not he has personally experienced God’s saving grace, his beautiful and soulful music reflects humanity created in the image of God, the Creator of everything that is beautiful.
Rosewood Castle also reminds me that for now, although Christ has paid in full the mortgage on my home in heaven, moving day is yet to come. It is not unusual for me to be moved to tears by beautiful music; nearly every tune on this CD provokes that response. You’d think I would rejoice at such exquisite sound, and in fact I do, but along with the joy comes a sense that the peacefulness and freedom conveyed in Bullock’s music cannot be grasped. They belong to the future, when all that God has promised comes to pass.
In the meantime, I listen again and again, while driving, while drifting off to sleep, while praying, all the while longing for that Kingdom of the future. God speaks through Scripture, He speaks through sermons, He speaks through our brothers and sisters in faith; but He also speaks through music, and through Bullock’s music Our Father says “I love you.” Listening to Rosewood Castle is worship.
