Sing For Your Joy
As a child, I had a huge admiration for music, particularly singing. My parents could tell you I took singing in the shower to a new level, especially when it involved me screaming out the lyrics to the Back Street Boys smash hit “I Want it That Way.” (Laugh all you want, it’s still one of my favorite songs.) In fact, one of my fondest childhood memories was when my dad invited my brother and me to help him lead the song “Light the Fire” by SONICFLOOd in front of the church. We must have practiced that song together over a dozen times, sitting criss cross on the floor of the bedroom, memorizing the lyrics, working on the parts, and singing our hearts out. I think it stands out in my mind so fondly because my dad was so joyful when he was singing the lyrics “Light the fire, in my soul, Fan the flames, Make me whole.” The passion for what he was singing was visibly written all over his face. It was one of the first times I realized that singing isn’t just fun, and it’s not just for show, but it makes us feel something.
Fast forward 20 years, and he still sings that song with a big grin every time it pops into his head. Maybe part of it is being a proud dad who remembers singing that song with his boys, but I think a bigger part of it is that God uses that song to remind him that the Lord is the supplier and sustainer of joy in any and every season of life. That’s what worshipful songs do; they transport our hearts from the mundane, or the monotonous, and remind us of the truths that are in scripture which encompass and cover even the darkest seasons of our lives. If you question that fact, I urge you to read the story of Horatio Spafford, the lyricist of the well known hymn “It is Well.”
With regard to the thought that worship helps to change our affections and attitudes, my hope and prayer is that you would sing not just on Sunday mornings, but throughout every day of the week. I realize that you may be reading this and thinking, “pshh, I don’t sing” or “I’m not musical like that.” Here’s the deal, you’re not singing for me, (that’d be a really lame reason to sing), you’re singing for your joy and your families joy, and the joy of all people! Part of what makes us a distinct, set apart, people of God is that we express through song our deepest, heartfelt desires to know God more and to be close to Him, while pushing off selfishness to give him thanks for raising us to new life.
Yes, it’s true that we all need to read our Bibles more, and to pray more. But, likewise, I really believe that we as a church need to sing more! To raise our kids to be singers, who memorize gospel truths through song. To share the truths of the scriptures with our neighbors by singing them in our backyard. To kill our flesh by letting music melt away our self centeredness.
… That’s why we’ve started to add the EBC congregational worship recordings to these emails, and the set list for the upcoming weekend as well – which you can find on the sidebar next to this post.
… That’s why we’ve scheduled another EBC Night of Worship for Tuesday, May 29 at 7pm.
… Because we believe that singing the truths of Jesus go hand in hand with the joy of his saints.
Psalm 95:1-3 “Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD; let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. For the LORD is the great God, the great King above all gods.”
Grace and Peace,
Pastor Ryan
Categories: Evergreen Connection