Broken Cord

Last night I sat down with paper, pencil and my Bible, and I inquired of the Lord if he would be pleased to give me a song to write. I had not written any for about 2 years, for I did not have the space needed in order to do that. But, now that he has blessed me with that space, I asked him for a song.

As I was talking with the Lord concerning what this song should look like, and he was talking with me, I all of a sudden blurted out, “But, I don’t want an arpeggio.”

Now, I had studied music 50 years ago, so I should know what an arpeggio is, and I had a pretty good idea, but that was a long time ago, so I looked it up. What I learned was that an arpeggio is a “broken chord.” But, what the Lord was leading me towards was a “broken cord,” and they paralleled each other.

Music is written in various keys, such as C, D, G, etc. The key of C requires no sharps or flats, but the key of G has one sharp, and the key of F has one flat, etc. A music scale consists of 8 notes. So, in the key of C, for example, the scale would be C, D, E, F, G, A, B, C. So, a C chord would be C, E, G all played at the same time. An arpeggio in the key of C, though, would be C, E, G or C, E, G, C, but played one note at a time. This is called a “broken chord.” For, they are not played in harmony with each other, but separately.

So, then I began to break down the definition of “Arpeggio” word by word, and I began to see the spiritual parallel with a “broken cord.” For, an arpeggio (broken chord) is broken, which is fractured, not in good working order, not functioning properly, for it is not in unity. The bond is broken.

But, an arpeggio (broken chord) is the sounding of the notes of a chord separate from one another. As Christians, our cord is our bond with our Lord Jesus Christ, our relationship with him, which is supposed to be in harmony (unity) with him. When that cord is broken, the fellowship between us and our Lord is also broken.

So, what I saw in this is that it had to do with the sounding (speech) of the notes (testimony) of the cord (moral, spiritual or emotional bond) being separate from the cord, not in unity, broken (not functioning properly). In other words, this is about the testimony of “believers” being separate from the cord, broken away from the cord (covenant bond). This is about giving false testimony to a relationship with Jesus Christ that is not true, for it is a broken relationship, not in unity with Jesus Christ at all.

And, then I thought back to what I had blurted out, which was “But, I don’t want an arpeggio.” I believe this is the Lord speaking, and he is saying that he does not want us to give testimony that is not in unity with the cord (the bond of our relationship with him), and he does not want us living separately from that cord, either. Not only does he want us in unity with him and with our bond (covenant relationship), but he also wants us giving testimony consistent with that bond, i.e. he does not want us to be hypocritical.

Interestingly enough, he did have me write the music with one arpeggio after another after another, for it fit with the words to this song.

Broken Cord
An Original Work / August 29, 2018

Your bond is broken
With your Lord and Savior
And, your testimony is
Separate from Him.

Your words not matching
Your actions today.
Repent of your sin and
Bow down and pray.

Live what you testify
In truth always.

Purity’s lacking in
Your life and witness,
For you profess one thing,
But other you do.

Not moral, spiritual.
Still of the flesh.
Not living in truth to
What you confess.

Lying about it
Puts you in a mess.

Living a lie is your practice,
‘tis true of you.
Masquerade righteousness –
None of it true.

Your heart is not given
To your Lord God.
Because of how you live,
You are a fraud.

Turn from your sin and
Give your life to God.