This past weekend, I spent yet another afternoon rummaging through storage boxes and cleaning out old files. To make the job more enjoyable I put on some background music, including the music of some of my favorite vocal artists. I have many “favorites,” but if I had to choose my all-time favorite in the category of “female pop and country music singer,” it would be Anne Murray.
Some of you may not be familiar with her, but back in the 70’s and 80’s when she was at the height of her career, the deep, smooth, sometimes sultry voice of Anne Murray graced the airwaves, and Americans claimed this Canadian singer as our own.
In September 1983, Anne Murray released a song called, “A Little Good News” which won numerous awards including the Grammy for Best Country Vocal Performance and the Country Music Association’s Single of the Year. Here are some of the lyrics:
I rolled out this mornin’ – kids had the morning news show on
Bryant Gumbel was talking about the fighting in Lebanon.
Some senator was squawking about the bad economy
It’s gonna get worse you see, we need a change in policy.
There’s a local paper rolled up in a rubber band
One more sad story’s one more than I can stand.
Just once, how I’d like to see the headline say
Not much to print today – can’t find nothing bad to say
Because nobody robbed a liquor store on the lower part of town
Nobody OD’d, nobody burned a single building down.
Nobody fired a shot in anger, nobody had to die in vain,
We sure could use a little good news today.
It’s been almost 37 years since Anne Murray released this song and with the exception of a few dated references, it’s as relevant today as it was back then. Yes, we can find an uplifting article in the news here and there, and I think every major television network has its version of stories that warm the heart. But they are few and far between.
I try my best to keep up-to-date on current events, not only because I’m interested in what’s going on in the world, but because I believe it’s my responsibility to be an informed citizen. I don’t think it’s at all productive to bury our heads in the sand. But on occasion – especially in this time of COVID-19 – I find myself needing to turn away from the news because, in the words of the song, “…one more sad story is one more than I can stand.” I don’t know of anyone who wouldn’t agree: “We sure could use a little good news today.”
The sad, disturbing stories and images that surround us day after day can make it difficult to see God in the midst of it all. We sometimes lose sight of God’s promises. We sometimes forget that we are people of hope.
Maybe this is the very reason I love Psalm 16. The psalmist begins by asking for God’s protection, but the remaining 10½ verses confidently proclaim that God will not only protect us but will also give counsel, instruction, support, rest, the path of life, fullness of joy, and pleasures forevermore. This is more than just “a little” good news!
When my boys were very young, we moved to a house that had been a parsonage, located just across the parking lot from the church. On the roof of the church building stood a tall, white cross, easily visible for blocks around.
One day soon after moving into the house, I took the boys for a walk. It was a beautiful, early spring day and it was time to get out and explore the neighborhood. Besides, with three boys 5 and under, I needed to get out of the house! I put Matthew in the stroller, took Peter by the hand, and we followed Tim’s lead. We were enjoying our walk and had strolled quite a distance when suddenly Peter looked up at me with a worried look on his face. “Mommy, how are we going to find our way back home?”
Before I had a chance to respond, Tim confidently pointed to the cross on top of the church in the distance and said: “Don’t worry, Peter! Just look for the cross – it will lead us home!” Little did my son know the hope and promise his words held.
“You show me the path of life,” the psalmist writes. “In your presence there is fullness of joy.” In the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, God has shown us the path of life. We live in the very presence of God now, and we will live in God’s presence forever. What better news could there possibly be than this?
