Speaker 1: Welcome to Abides Sleep Meditations. I'm Tyler Boss. Today's meditation
Speaker 1: is brought to you by our partners at Life Audio.
Speaker 1: If you go to lifeaudio dot com you will find
Speaker 1: dozens of other faith centered podcasts in their network. They've
Speaker 1: got shows about prayer, Bible study, parenting, and more. Head
Speaker 1: over to lifeaudio dot com.
Speaker 2: Now.
Speaker 1: Remember you can.
Speaker 3: Have full access to all our sleep stories commercial free.
Speaker 3: Just text Abide to two two four three three for
Speaker 3: twenty five percent off the app. Now relax your mind
Speaker 3: and body as we hear tonight's sleep story.
Speaker 2: Hello and welcome to this sleep story from Abide. I'm James.
Speaker 2: Thanks for joining me for our story. Life and harmony.
Speaker 2: Harmony is multifaceted, and whether it speaks to the way
Speaker 2: a group interacts or the way a combination of musical
Speaker 2: notes comes together, it can be a beautiful picture of
Speaker 2: God's wonderfull design Psalm one hundred and thirty three, verse
Speaker 2: one in the New Living Translation, sense how wonderful and
Speaker 2: pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony. In
Speaker 2: no place is harmony better displayed than in the midst
Speaker 2: of a jazz ensemble, a musical styling that can easily
Speaker 2: be chaotic if the musicians are not on cue, But
Speaker 2: true harmony will be evident in a quartet that has
Speaker 2: come together to uplift one another while they create beautiful
Speaker 2: pieces of music together. This is the harmony you will
Speaker 2: witness in this story as you experience a jazz quartet
Speaker 2: that is as committed to uplifting one another as they
Speaker 2: are making music that delights the listener. In the bustling
Speaker 2: boroughs of New York City, you will see the beauty
Speaker 2: and serenity of Central Park before attending a jazz concert
Speaker 2: in a building located just off the corner of the park.
Speaker 2: As you sit in the cozy room with a large
Speaker 2: wall of windows looking out to the sunset against the
Speaker 2: New York City skyline, you will be delighted by the
Speaker 2: unique musical stylings of a famed jazz clarinetist and his
Speaker 2: hand selected ensemble. Settle in for a time of RESTful peace,
Speaker 2: and prepare to see fellowship and cooperation at its finest
Speaker 2: as you experience truly how wonderful and pleasant it is
Speaker 2: when brothers live together in harmony. Before we jump in,
Speaker 2: take a few moments now to prepare your heart, mind,
Speaker 2: and body for a time of rest. Begin by preparing
Speaker 2: your heart. Take a slow, deep breath, breathing in through
Speaker 2: your nose and allowing your lungs to fill. Pause for
Speaker 2: a moment before exhaling slowly through your mouth. Continue this
Speaker 2: pattern of rhythmic breathing as you hear the words of
Speaker 2: Matthew eleven, verse twenty eight, which says, come to me
Speaker 2: all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will
Speaker 2: give you rest as you come to the Lord. Now
Speaker 2: let your heart find rest and refreshment in his presence.
Speaker 2: Allow him to carry any burdens that are weighing on
Speaker 2: you by laying your concerns at his feet. As you
Speaker 2: take another slow, deep breath, consciously exhale these worries with
Speaker 2: your next breath, releasing them to the Lord. And now,
Speaker 2: in turn, focus your attention on hope as you inhale
Speaker 2: the promise of good rest. Next, prepare your mind. As
Speaker 2: you've laid your concerns before the Lord, let the words
Speaker 2: of Isaiah twenty six, verse three bring true rest to
Speaker 2: your mind. You will keep in perfect peace those whose
Speaker 2: minds are steadfast because they trust in you. Lastly, prepare
Speaker 2: your body. Take another slow, deep breath, then slowly exhale
Speaker 2: through your mouth. Repeat this simple exercise, breathing in through
Speaker 2: your nose and out through your mouth. As you continue listening,
Speaker 2: experience true rest by allowing the peacefulness of your heart
Speaker 2: and mind to permeate your body, bringing harmony to your
Speaker 2: entire being. Let me pray for you now, Heavenly Father,
Speaker 2: you are the God of peace. We worship you for
Speaker 2: the way you make it tangible in our lives. Thank
Speaker 2: you for the gift of community and for the way
Speaker 2: peace is seen tangibly as you enable us to dwell
Speaker 2: in harmony. Lord, I ask you to bless this beloved
Speaker 2: child of yours with a deep sense of harmony as
Speaker 2: they rest, Allow the peace of your presence to wash
Speaker 2: away any anxieties or concerns, helping them remember the words
Speaker 2: of Firs. Peter five seven, that they would cast their
Speaker 2: cares on you because you care for them. Lord, I
Speaker 2: pray they would find deep rest and the promise of
Speaker 2: your love, knowing there is nothing they can do that
Speaker 2: would cause you to stop loving them. Thank you God
Speaker 2: for this child whom you deeply love. Surround them with
Speaker 2: peace that they may sleep soundly as they dwell on
Speaker 2: the beautiful gift of harmony in Jesus' name. Amen, How
Speaker 2: wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony.
Speaker 2: Join me now for an experience of true harmony see
Speaker 2: not just in a city and community, but seen artistically
Speaker 2: in a famed jazz show. It's a cool fall day
Speaker 2: in New York City and you find yourself walking along
Speaker 2: the perimeter of Central Park on your way to watch
Speaker 2: an evening jazz show featuring four renowned musicians playing for
Speaker 2: the first time as a quartet. Looking inside Central Park,
Speaker 2: you see an array of colors on the changing trees,
Speaker 2: watching yellow, orange, and red leaves float effortlessly from the
Speaker 2: tops of the trees to the ground. You see harmony
Speaker 2: here as the earth changes with the shifting seasons, each
Speaker 2: day inching a little bit closer to winter. Indeed, harmony
Speaker 2: shines through in all places, at all times, through the
Speaker 2: spirit of God. As you imagine the bustling park, hear
Speaker 2: the words of the apostle poll and Ephesians four, verse
Speaker 2: three in the New Living Translation, which reads, make every
Speaker 2: effort to keep yourselves united in the spirit, binding yourselves
Speaker 2: together with peace. You come around the corner of Central Park,
Speaker 2: walking across the street and down the block before approaching
Speaker 2: a large twelve story building with two story glass doors
Speaker 2: at the entrance. Reaching for the brass handle, you push
Speaker 2: forward to open the heavy swinging door. As you walk inside,
Speaker 2: an older gentleman dressed in a formal maroon suit, evidently
Speaker 2: the building's concierge, greets you where to He inquires, we're
Speaker 2: here for the rhythm and blues jazz show. Ah, he
Speaker 2: says with a smile, laugh lines appearing on the corner
Speaker 2: of each eye. You're in for a tree tonight. Up
Speaker 2: the escalator to the eighth floor. When you reach the top,
Speaker 2: turn right, walk past the restaurants and you'll see it
Speaker 2: there on the left. Glancing at his gold plated name tag,
Speaker 2: you say thank you, Francis, and following his instructions, you
Speaker 2: walk to the escalator. The restaurants on the eighth floor
Speaker 2: are busy, waters buzz in and around tables, delivering hot
Speaker 2: plates of food and clearing empty plates. As they walk
Speaker 2: past a busy table, a bus boy in a dirty
Speaker 2: white button down carries a plastic tub to a recently
Speaker 2: emptied foretop and swiftly and efficiently removes every item. He
Speaker 2: pulls a cleaning cloth from the pouch on his apron
Speaker 2: and wipes the table down before disappearing through a swinging door.
Speaker 2: As soon as the busboy walks away from the table,
Speaker 2: a hostess appears to reset the table with charger plates,
Speaker 2: silverware rolled in napkins, and clear drinking glasses. You can't
Speaker 2: help but dwell on Psal One hundred thirty three, Verse one,
Speaker 2: as you see the harmony of the restaurant's staff. How
Speaker 2: wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony.
Speaker 2: You continue walking down the eighth floor hallway, following as
Speaker 2: it curves to the left. After the curve, you see
Speaker 2: a blue Neon sign on the wall outside two large
Speaker 2: glass doors. The sign reads Rhythm and Blues. Through the
Speaker 2: glass door, you see a stylishly lit hallway with photos
Speaker 2: lining the wall that leads to the end of the corridor.
Speaker 2: You reach for the handle of the door, feeling the
Speaker 2: cool metal in your hand, and walk inside. Walking down
Speaker 2: the red carpeted hallway, you pause several times to admire
Speaker 2: the photos and read the stories of musicians who have
Speaker 2: made their home at the Rhythm and Blues Jazz Show
Speaker 2: over the past four decades. At the end of the hallway,
Speaker 2: you reach the hostess booth. After taking your name and
Speaker 2: consulting her reservation list, she welcomes you and leads you
Speaker 2: to the center of the room, where she seats you
Speaker 2: at a small round table. The first element of harmony
Speaker 2: that you notice inside is among the restaurant's staff, as
Speaker 2: you watch them move effortlessly throughout the room, silently commune
Speaker 2: getting to one another. They weave easily between tables, deliver
Speaker 2: meals and drinks, and remain attentive to the needs of
Speaker 2: their guests. Sitting comfortably in your seat, enjoying the ambiance
Speaker 2: of the restaurant, you dwell on the eternity of some
Speaker 2: one hundred thirty three how wonderful and pleasant it is
Speaker 2: when brothers live together in harmony. For harmony is as
Speaker 2: precious as the anointing oil that was poured over aaron's head,
Speaker 2: that ran down his beard and onto the border of
Speaker 2: his robe. Harmony is as refreshing as the dew from
Speaker 2: Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains of Zion, and
Speaker 2: there the Lord has pronounced his blessing, even life everlasting.
Speaker 2: You see this not just in the server's actions, but
Speaker 2: also through the smiles on their faces and the genuine
Speaker 2: joy that seemed to display so effortlessly as they move
Speaker 2: around the room and acting with one another and guests alike.
Speaker 2: Approaching your table with a smile, your server welcomes you
Speaker 2: to the rhythm and Jazz show with a giddy excitement.
Speaker 2: She shares that she has seen several of Tonight's performers
Speaker 2: on their own, but never as an ensemble. They're some
Speaker 2: of the best I know. You're at for treat. She
Speaker 2: recommends her favorite dishes and takes your order, informing you
Speaker 2: that the concert will begin shortly. As you wait, you
Speaker 2: take in the wonder of this cozy, beautiful space. The
Speaker 2: tall ceilings make the quaint room feel bigger than it is.
Speaker 2: You're seated just ten feet from the large stage, behind
Speaker 2: which an expansive floor to ceiling window stretches the length
Speaker 2: of the room. Just beyond the window lies extravagant, stunning
Speaker 2: view of the New York City skyline. The pale blue
Speaker 2: evening sky, which is wide with white, puffy clouds scattered throughout.
Speaker 2: The setting sun begins to twinge the sky with orange, red,
Speaker 2: and purple hues. Hear the words of Psalm nineteen, verse one,
Speaker 2: which says the heavens declare the glory of God. The
Speaker 2: skies proclaimed the work of his hands. Enticed by the sunset,
Speaker 2: you leave your seat and walk to the window, gazing
Speaker 2: out at the panoramic view of Manhattan. At the far
Speaker 2: left corner, you can see Central Park, where countless people
Speaker 2: fill the wide sidewalks. A woman sits on a bench
Speaker 2: reading a book, with the Golden retriever happily lying at
Speaker 2: her feet. A couple walks past her, hand in hand,
Speaker 2: coming from the opposite direction. A young woman in running
Speaker 2: gear and a ball cap pushes the stroller as she
Speaker 2: jogs through the park. Children play in the grass as
Speaker 2: their parents watch from another bench. Runners train in various speeds,
Speaker 2: and cyclists speedby, some on road bikes training for race,
Speaker 2: and others on bright blue city bikes, leisurely tourists. Seeing
Speaker 2: the city in a unique way, your gaze turns observing
Speaker 2: the city streets below the skyscrapers, Men in suits and
Speaker 2: women in heels rush in and out of buildings, hailing taxis,
Speaker 2: and hustling up and down the city streets. As you
Speaker 2: watch the movement below, hear the words of Colossians three
Speaker 2: verses twelve through fourteen. In the New Living Translation, which says,
Speaker 2: since God chose you to be the holy people He loves,
Speaker 2: you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness,
Speaker 2: and patience. Make allowance for each other's faults. And forgive
Speaker 2: anyone who offends you. Remember the Lord forgave you, so
Speaker 2: you must forgive others. Above all, clothe yourselves with love,
Speaker 2: which binds us all together in perfect harmony. The sun
Speaker 2: has now fully set, and the sky brims with a deep, muted,
Speaker 2: dark bloom. The dimmed lights inside the restaurant accentuate the
Speaker 2: lights on the outside of the buildings seen in the skyline,
Speaker 2: and they seem to sparkle against the dark sky. A
Speaker 2: glance at your watch tells you that the show will
Speaker 2: soon begin. You weave in between small tables, some seating
Speaker 2: four and some only two or three. Back to your seat.
Speaker 2: The small parties at each table help the room feel
Speaker 2: quaint and intimate. Back at your seat, your server returns,
Speaker 2: and you place your order. In anticipation of the harmonious
Speaker 2: music you're about to hear, you consider the words of
Speaker 2: First Peter three, verse eight. It reads, finally, all of
Speaker 2: you have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart,
Speaker 2: and a humble mind. It occurs to you that harmony
Speaker 2: comes through the humble surrender of your way and the
Speaker 2: willingness to unite your desires with those of another. A
Speaker 2: few moments later, the lights in the restaurant dim and
Speaker 2: a new set of lights come on, illuminating the stage.
Speaker 2: The patrons begin to slowly clap, their anticipation brimming for
Speaker 2: the show that will soon begin. As the clapping subsides,
Speaker 2: four men walk into the room from a door off
Speaker 2: the left side of the stage. They are all sharply
Speaker 2: dressed in suits of various colors and textures. Waving to
Speaker 2: the intimately sized crowd and giving small backs of gratitude,
Speaker 2: they take their places behind their respective instruments on the stage.
Speaker 2: The drummer, a tall black man with a shaved head
Speaker 2: and a neatly trimmed goatee, wears the chocolate brown suit
Speaker 2: with a pale blue shirt. His rich brown eyes dance
Speaker 2: with joy as he walks to the drum set on
Speaker 2: the far right side of the stage. He reaches for
Speaker 2: his drumsticks and giving them a playful twirl around his fingers.
Speaker 2: He smiles at the crowd. How wonderful and pleasant it
Speaker 2: is when brothers live together at harmony? The upright bass
Speaker 2: player walks out next. He's wearing a sharp black suit
Speaker 2: without a tie, and the stark white of his buttoned
Speaker 2: down shirt stands out against his black jacket. A neatly
Speaker 2: trifled merrigold yellow pocket square covered in small white daisies
Speaker 2: compliments the jacket and gives it a pop of color.
Speaker 2: How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together
Speaker 2: in harmony. As shorter Man follows the bassist, walking straight
Speaker 2: to the left side of the stage, where an ornate
Speaker 2: grand piano awaits, he takes a seat at the end
Speaker 2: of the bench, sitting sideways to face both the crowd
Speaker 2: and his comrades. Still walking to the stage, the distinctive
Speaker 2: ridges of his forest green corduroy suit glint under the
Speaker 2: stage of spotlight. The ringlet curls of his dark brown
Speaker 2: hair hang almost to his shoulders and framed the caramel
Speaker 2: brown of his face. With his back to the crowd,
Speaker 2: as he sits on the piano's bench, he looks back
Speaker 2: over his shoulder, his bright white teeth shining in his smile.
Speaker 2: How wonderful and pleasant it is when brothers live together
Speaker 2: in harmony. Victor, the final member of the quartet and
Speaker 2: the leader most several more decades of life than the others,
Speaker 2: as evidenced by the white sprinkled in his short black hair.
Speaker 2: A tall man, he walks to the center of the
Speaker 2: stage with the clarinet on a strap around his neck.
Speaker 2: His eyes shine with delight. This is an extra special
Speaker 2: night for me, Victor says, as the corners of his
Speaker 2: mouth turn up in a smile. In my career, I've
Speaker 2: played with more ensembles than I can count, but never
Speaker 2: one as sweet as this. One of the crowning honors
Speaker 2: of my life was serving as the founding artistic director
Speaker 2: of Julliard's Jazz department. And each of the young men
Speaker 2: on the stage are not just at the top of
Speaker 2: the craft musically, they are former students of mine. Victor
Speaker 2: looks endearingly at each of the musicians, who smile back
Speaker 2: with pride and honor. Thank you for playing with me tonight,
Speaker 2: Victor says, and with that he plays the first notes
Speaker 2: of their open song. The bassist, drummer, and pianist join
Speaker 2: in on que, whereas the combination of these distinct instruments
Speaker 2: might easily be chaotic, the spontaneity of these masterful musicians
Speaker 2: comes together in the beautiful, harmonious way only jazz. Can
Speaker 2: Lean back in your seat settle in to enjoy the
Speaker 2: wonderful improvisation from an elite ensemble of musicians, knowing that
Speaker 2: harmony of mind is essential for them to achieve the
Speaker 2: harmony of music that so wonderfully fills the room. As
Speaker 2: you enjoy, think again of the words of Some one
Speaker 2: hundred and thirty three, which says, how wonderful and pleasant
Speaker 2: it is when brothers live together in harmony. For harmony
Speaker 2: is as precious as the anointing oil that was poured
Speaker 2: over aaron's head, that ran down his beard and onto
Speaker 2: the border of his robe. Harmony is as refreshing as
Speaker 2: the dew from Mount Hermon that falls on the mountains
Speaker 2: of Zion. And there the Lord is pronounced his blessing,
Speaker 2: even life, everlasting. Indeed, the blessing of the Lord stands
Speaker 2: out when his people dwell together in harmony. And as
Speaker 2: this jazz quartet continues to play, gift, thanks to the
Speaker 2: Lord for the gift of harmony and for the many
Speaker 2: ways and enriches the world around you. Let me pray
Speaker 2: for you one last time as you sleep. Gracious Heavenly Father,
Speaker 2: we look to you for harmony and peace, and we
Speaker 2: give thanks for your grace that makes it possible for
Speaker 2: us to experience harmony with one another and in the
Speaker 2: world around us. I pray your blessing over this beloved
Speaker 2: child of yours as they continue to rest. May they
Speaker 2: sense the peace of your spirit as they sleep, and
Speaker 2: may they wake with a deep desire to pursue harmony
Speaker 2: in the world around them. Amen, God has invited you,
Speaker 2: his beloved to dwell in harmony with those around you,
Speaker 2: whether in your home, your workplace, your neighborhood, or community.
Speaker 2: Imagine your life like an instrument in a jazz band,
Speaker 2: and the lives of those around you as other instruments
Speaker 2: on the stage. Through the spirit of God, we all
Speaker 2: can come together to create a beautiful harmony. How wonderful
Speaker 2: and pleasant it is when brothers live together in harmony.
Speaker 2: Thanks for listening. Until next time, May you abide in Christ.