Moments in the Meadow---God wants to hear you sing!

I will sing a new song unto Thee, O God..... Psalm 144:9a

SING?!?!?!?!?! Uhhhhhhh...NO!

Definitely the most favored response in the typical church setting to the overworked choir director. Stated with the same fear and dread of going to the dentist and having a root canal.

BUT..... Guess what???? God WANTS to hear you sing! He truly does! He loves music. He loves praise. He loves it when you're in the prison cell of hardship, despair and turmoil and you just belt out "My Lord knows the Way Through the Wilderness". I can imagine when the refrain of "Amazing Grace" graces The Father's ears, how his heart warms, His eyes mist over and with a measure of righteous pride beckons the angels to listen to the redeeming words of that classic hymn.

It doesn't matter if you hit every note straight on the pitch or if you're like me when I play basketball and miss the hoop each time I shoot. God wants to hear you sing.

How beautiful our song of praise is when the bills are paid, health abounds, and our church services are sweet. Sweet praise hits the major chords as our foot taps to the joyful noise of a sunny tune.

Out of the blue, as we look to the horizon, a storm rolls in with the fury of a runaway train. The last words of our song of praise drool toward the pit of worry, fear and despair. The roar of thundering bad test results causes us to bow our head to the onslaught of the storm. Our spirit is pummeled beneath the pounding rain of financial worry, consequences of a sin or a myriad of trials.

Do we stop singing? Let's ask Paul and Silas:

*****And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them. Acts 16:25

The prisoners HEARD them. This means as they sat in the deepest, darkest, dreariest part of the cave-prison, they sang loudly enough the other prisoners heard them. Wow! Amazing! God wants to hear you sing dear Christian. He knows this fallen world will accuse us of things we don't do, laugh at us, mock and scorn us. He wants us to loudly sing to the world of His power, His protection and His provision. Sing!

They sang praises unto GOD. This morning, as I was contemplating and praying over what to write today, I took a walk with God. I actually talked to Him, telling Him how wonderful He is--and He is. How good He is ---and He is. How great He is --and He's so great! The song, "How Great Thou Art" came to mind and I started speaking those words of timeless praise to God. When I got in the car, I played my favorite rendition of the hymn, opened my sunroof, and sang to the top of my lungs---HOW! GREAT! THOU! ART! I played and sang it over and over with reckless abandon til I pulled into my parking space at work. I didn't care if anyone could see me. I sure didn't care if they could hear me. My heart just about exploded with the filling of my joy-cup.

God is so great! He gave His only Begotten Son for our eternity! What sacrificial love He has given to us.

Do we stop singing? Oh no, my dear Christian--no

Your song may sound with a minor chord of disappointment, hurt or disillusionment---SING ON! His Eye is on the sparrow and He is watching you.

Sing on! As the storm rolls on and leaves you battered, sing the song of His faithfulness. Great is His faithfulness. He is your Father.

Your body may be weak. Your spirit is tired.

I have my cheerleader skirt bouncing and my pom poms pumping---SING ON! SING ON!!

Hope cannot live in silence. It grows when watered with loud songs of praise.

Sing on dear one!

Sing on!

HE! IS! WORTHY!