We spent the month of August in our series “Make a Joyful Noise.” We saw that we have been created to sing, are commanded to sing, and are compelled to sing. God has created us in His own image (see Gen. 1:26-27) and He is a singing God (see Zeph. 3:14-17). When we sing to God, who has made us, we are doing one of the very things we were created for. What’s more, God has laid out for us dozens of times the clear command to sing (Ps. 47; 100). Faithfulness in our walk with the Lord requires us to be singing to Him and about Him. For the Christian, faithfulness is not some optional add-on that you can take or leave. Sadly, judging by the lack of it in many churches today you might have actually thought for a moment that it was, but it is not. The Christian is a singer! Our skill sets will vary greatly depending on a number of factors like: God given talent and practice. But if you have been redeemed by the blood of God’s Son, you are a singer. And one of the ways you grow in your love for singing, as well as in holiness (1 Pt. 1:14-16), is by singing. When we recognize that God has rescued us from our sins, having purchased our freedom by the blood of Jesus’ cross, we are compelled to sing.
What might cause us to not want to sing? Perhaps you do not like how your voice sounds. Maybe you were a good singing before, but age has changed your voice and you are more timid to sing out now. Or perhaps you are that teenage boy and it seems weird to you to be singing in church. Or you are the adult who would just as soon listen to others sing before singing yourself. Other reasons why we sometimes might not want to sing include: you don’t feel like it. You aren’t having a happy and cheerful week, so you are finding it hard to sing “I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy; down in my heart…” It is important to remember that the Psalms are full of a wide range of songs. The Psalmist were not always having a happy time, and they wrote songs about it too. Singing on the unchangeable character of our God, amidst our changing circumstances can be something solid to stand upon when life is chaotic. “God is our refuge an strength, a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1). Perhaps you don’t feel to worthy to sing, for again you have fallen into temptation, and you promised yourself and God that you were through. It sounds like you should sing:
When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died,
My sinful soul is counted free;
For God the Just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me,
To look on Him and pardon me.
Have you looked upon Jesus today? The author of Hebrews reminds us, “Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God” (12:1-2). The Christian is to daily set our eyes upon the One whom our soul loves, Jesus Christ. The One who reminds us that He is gentle and lowly in heart, the One who has secured rest for our souls. Let us continue to sing to our great Savior and King, Jesus!