Make a Joyful Noise!

             Music has always been very important to me, even though I’m tone-deaf.  I love to sing, especially when there is a crowd that can help to drown me out when I get off-tune, which happens more often than I would like.  One of the things that I love about music is that the words often speak to our hearts.  That came to mind on Sunday as we raised our voices in praise to the Lord.  Here are some examples of what I mean.

            When I was growing up, our congregation sang “Just as I Am” at the end of every Sunday evening service.  The verses of that song remind me that God invites each one of us to come to Him just as we are.  So many people think they must get their lives in order and be close to perfection before Christ will accept them.  Nothing could be farther from the truth.  He calls us to come to Him just as we are.  He will take care of the clean-up.  What a relief that can be!

            Then, there is the old favorite “Count Your Blessings”.  That song always reminds me that no matter how bad things may seem, I am still blessed beyond anything that I could ever deserve.  It reminds me that “every good and perfect gift comes from above” (James 1: 17).

            It’s not just the old hymns that resonate with me.  Every time we sing “Goodness of God”, the line that says “All my life you’ve been faithful” makes me tear up because I know it’s true.  God has been there through the good and bad times of my life.  He is so faithful, even when I am not.

            When the future looks bleak and life is hard, the words of “Because He Lives” remind me that I don’t have to face the future alone.  One song which carried me through a difficult time in my life was “God Will Make a Way”.  We don’t always see how God is working because “He works in ways we cannot see” but He always makes a way.

            Then there are those songs that remind us of the hope of glory that awaits us.  Those are songs like “When We All Get to Heaven” or “I Can Only Imagine”.  There are also those lines that remind us that without Christ that day will be anything but glorious.  I was reminded of that as we sang this line on Sunday “There will come a day when every knee will bow”.  Yes, that day will come.  For some, it will be a day of rejoicing, gladness, and celebration as we join the greatest choir of all time, but for others, it will be a day of sorrow, pain, and never-ending separation from God.  Christ went to the cross to save us from that sorrow, pain, and separation.  That’s why I cling to the Old Rugged Cross.

            The next time you hear a hymn or a contemporary Gospel song, don’t just sing the words.  Take the time to truly listen to the words.  Think about what they mean in our lives.  I hope they will give you comfort, strength, and peace as they often do for me.  If you happen to be sitting near me, I apologize in advance for being off-key, but that won’t keep me from singing from the bottom of my heart!

Psalm 98: 4 (KJV)

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