Boundless Love
A Devotional by Bob Gaudi (B) and James Gaudi (J)
“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” –John 3:16
James Gaudi, my grandson and collaborator in writing this devotional is about to graduate from CSU Long Beach with a degree in music. Two of his passions are playing his trumpet and writing musical scores. Last week while on Spring Break we were just hanging out and getting caught up. James was discussing the latest musical score he was composing and mentioned that it ended with a musical version of Psalm 22. This immediately triggered my curiosity and I asked him a number of questions that he answered in the following three paragraphs. (Stay with us here…this is a rather lengthy devotional but it all comes together at the end.)
B: What are you doing?
J: I’m composing an original orchestral album titled The Creed of Tyrants; a sonic descent into a dystopian world. The goal is to immerse listeners in a realm where control is absolute, truth is fractured, and beauty still fights to break through. Each track tells part of a larger narrative—one that grapples with themes of oppression, spiritual deception, and the lingering hope of redemption.
B: Why are you doing what you’re doing?
J: Most of my album concepts begin as flashes of inspiration that evolve over time. This one took root as a response to my previous project and then took on a new energy when I read C.S. Lewis’s The Screwtape Letters, which reveals how spiritual warfare can be hidden in the mundane systems of the world. I was struck by the ways spiritual and political processes can mirror each other, and how tyranny—both personal and societal—often begins as a gradual process before exploding into violence later on. This album became my way of expressing those tensions musically: oppressive systems, haunting beauty, moments of clarity, and the slow, aching search for truth in a world built on lies.
B: How does Psalm 22 fit in? Why did you choose that one?
J: The final track, titled Psalm 22, in my mind, serves as the emotional and spiritual culmination of the album. After so much sonic darkness, tension, and violent collapse, this final piece presents a fragile but unwavering light at the end of the tunnel. Musically, this piece feels like the aftermath of devastation: quiet, and mournful, in an uneasy peace. It’s not triumphalist, and it’s certainly not clean, but it reminds the listener that even in the wreckage, God is still near, whispering through the silence. In this way, Psalm 22 serves as a sort of musical prayer—a final cry of faith and recognition. Psalm 22 Music Track
Psalm 22 is the most frequently quoted psalm in the New Testament. It is an anguished prayer of the suffering of King David during a particularly trying time of his rule when he is viciously under attack by enemies. Jesus amplifies that angst by quoting the first verse of the psalm in His dying words on the cross. In the psalm, King David vividly describes his extensive and mournful plight, much of which (beyond the first verse and the psalm itself) points to the suffering of Jesus on the cross (MT 27:35, 39, 43; JN 19:23-24, 28). Knowing that he has been heard by the Lord, David eventually moves on to foretell of a future when he will praise the Lord as his prayer for deliverance is answered. That praise will expand to all God’s people who seek to know and love the righteous Lord. The Lord is faithful and just and His rule and dominion are eternal. Essentially, God wins in the end.
The past three days—Good Friday through Easter Sunday—in some ways mirror what my grandson James says in his closing words above. In the wreckage that is the world we live in, God provides us with a solution to the mess: Jesus Christ. No matter how bad things are or become, Jesus is the answer. Just as King David was a mess and in dire need of help, so too are we. Jesus is that help. His love for us is without measure...He suffered and died for us. As believers, through the boundless grace of God we are redeemed by His selfless sacrifice and resurrection.
Just yesterday we rightly celebrated that sacrifice and ultimate grace of God on Easter Sunday as we do one day each year. We would be well served to celebrate it each and every day, giving thanks to our Lord and God. If you believe, you are saved, and in the end God wins. So do we. Thank the Lord each and every day for what He has done for you and never forget why you are here. Give glory to God and celebrate your victory through Christ by sharing your joy with others. Remember friends, as Peter states in 1 Peter 3:15: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.”
Heavenly Father, thank You for giving us Your Son so that we may live lives free from the death of sin. Help us to celebrate You and Your Son and the blessings You lovingly provide on a daily basis by demonstrating our gratitude through service to others and therefore to You. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.