Sing with Me
Photo image courtesy Pixabay
Sing a new song to the Lord; let the whole earth sing to the Lord. Sing to the Lord, bless his name; proclaim his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his wondrous works among all peoples. For the Lord is great and is highly praised; he is feared above all gods. – Psalm 96:1-4 (CSB)
Dear friends that don’t sing during worship at church:
Open your mouths, raise your hands, and let God hear you sing. He gave you a voice and He loves to be praised. We all have joked that the Bible just says to make a joyful noise, so we don’t have to sing with a trained voice in perfect key. But that’s really true.
Music has been around since Cain’s descendant, Jubal, became the father of all who play the lyre and the flute. The Old Testament and New Testament urge us to sing to the Lord. We sing to praise our Lord for all that He is, all that He’s done, and for all that He’s going to do. We sing to let others know His goodness, His righteousness, His forgiveness, and His mercy. We sing of Jesus and His sacrifice that gave us a chance to be reconciled with God the Father. We sing to tell the Lord how in awe we are of all His creations. We sing our thanksgiving. We sing.
Do you sing in the shower? Do you sing in your car? Does music play a part in your life? I must admit I’ve sung along with worship songs in my truck and felt the words so deeply, I’ve raised a hand in praise without another soul around.
Music is a way to express ourselves. It’s meant to make us feel emotion. Christian music can lift us up, put God first and foremost in our minds, and prepare our hearts for the message in church. Some of us feel closer to the Lord during worship than any other time.
When it’s time to sing during worship next Sunday at your church, please open your mouth and let your praise flow out. Don’t worry if it’s not perfect. None of us are. If you are really good, consider joining your praise team or choir. And if your hands should lift up, all the better. Just don’t lift both up if you’re driving a car!
Questions for Reflection:
1. Worship is many things: appreciating the works of God’s hands, singing and playing instruments, acts of service to others, quoting scripture, reading devotions. In what ways of worship do you feel closest to God?
2. Praising God with your voice is so personal. What’s your favorite songs of praise?
