It was a very dry summer. The big old tree in my front yard was throwing down leaves and twigs in protest. Then recently we were blessed with a lot of moisture, and now it almost seems like spring again.
Instead, it is time to preserve all the wonderful gifts from the garden. Putting up produce is an enormous job, but it does afford ample time to listen. My sister has been listening to talk radio as she works in her kitchen for years. As for me, I have rediscovered "Messiah" by George Frederick Handel. I have found that a paring knife works wonderfully well as the conductor's baton, and no one minds if I can't roll my rrr's as well as they do on the CD! The familiar music takes me back to high school chorus days. I never could get all the way through the "Hallelujah Chorus" without choking up!
Having lived a good number of years since those high school days, I am better able to appreciate "Messiah." It amazes me to think that Handel completed it in a few short weeks.
He takes us through the scripture, telling us the story of Jesus. At first it is the prophesy foretelling Jesus' coming:
"Comfort ye, Comfort ye, my people...
The voice of him that crieth in the wilderness, prepare ye the way of the Lord."
He tells us what an impact Jesus would have on the world:
"I will shake the heavens and the earth...
But who may abide the day of his coming? And who shall stand when he appeareth? For he is like a refiner's fire.
And he shall purify..."
He tells of the pervasive darkness of the times. But wait - there is hope!
"Darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people
...the people that walked in darkness have seen a great light.
Upon them hath the light shined.
For unto us a child is born...and his name shall be called Wonderful..."
Wonderful indeed!
"He shall feed his flock like a shepherd, and he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young."
And then the passage we all know:
"Come unto me all ye that labor...and I will give you rest.
Take his yoke upon you...for he is meek and lowly of heart, and ye shall find rest unto your souls...
His yoke is easy and his burden is light."
Jesus suffered on the cross:
"He was despised, a man of sorrows...he gave his back to the smiters...he hid not his face from shame.
Surely he hath born our griefs and carried our sorrows
...and with his stripes we are healed."
His suffering was not only physical:
"All they that see him laugh him to scorn.
Thy rebuke hath broken his heart.
He looked for some to have pity, but there was none,
neither found he any to comfort him
...see if there be any sorrow like unto his."
But glory be unto God:
"Thou didst not leave his soul in hell
...lift up your heads O ye gates...and the King of Glory shall come in
..let all the angels worship him
...thou art gone up on high."
"Hallelujah! The Lord God Omnipotent reigneth...the kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ...and he shall reign forever and ever."
But there is more:
"I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand on the latter day upon the earth...and though worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God
...since by man came death, by man came also
the resurrection of the dead
...as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive
...I tell you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed. In a moment, in a twinkling of an eye
...O death, where is thy sting? "
And so:
If God be for us, who can be against us?
It is Christ that died, yea, rather, that is risen again
...at the right hand of God, who makes intercession for us.
Worthy is the Lamb that was slain...blessing and honor, glory and power be unto him that sitteth upon the throne...Amen!"
Washing, peeling, chopping, slicing, boiling, blanching - it's a lot of work. These busy times in my kitchen have become special times of worship for me, and I think everything I put up will be especially tasty because of it!
