Let me be singing when the sun goes down

Paul wrote a letter to the church in Philippi while he was in jail. In that letter, he says many things about the goodness of God. His attitude is summed up in these words . . .  

Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, rejoice. Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4–7)

I’ve not researched ancient Middle Eastern prisons, yet I’m certain they were not plush places with warm, comfortable beds and a television set for every prisoner. In some parts of that world even today, if family does not bring food, the prisoners go hungry. In Paul’s case, not only was he locked up, but he was locked up unjustly. Yet this disciple of Jesus Christ praised God and was full of joy.

A few decades before Paul, a young girl was visited by an angel and told she would become pregnant by the Holy Spirit. Unlike today, she faced shame. She would be accused of fornication and shunned by her family and peers. The Law said she should die for her supposed immorality and her fiancé considered sending her away. She was in a prison of a different kind, yet like Paul, she praised God with great joy . . . 

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior . . . ” (Luke 1:46–47)

How is it that these and countless others since them have joyfully suffered, even joyfully faced a martyr’s death? Isn’t it because they have discovered how to rejoice in Jesus Christ as their beloved Savior? The Bible even says that the joy of the Lord is our strength. With joy and praise, we can face anything.

Charles Spurgeon says that anyone who cannot praise God must fear for their destiny. A saving relationship with the Almighty produces prayer and praise with joy. These are sure signs of a true-born heir of heaven. For this, the Lord also removes from us the praise and love of lesser things and gives the grace to love him and praise Him above all else.

And why not? God freely forgives the greatest sin and is willing to cleanse the very worst sinner. He proves His great love in giving Christ to die, the just for the unjust, that He may bring sinners to God. I am becoming more and more excited to glorify and rejoice in Him. Regardless of how I leave this world, I want to be singing His praises when that sun goes down.

Filled with praise, filled with God

When I woke this morning, my thoughts were jumbled from a repetitious dream, but as they aligned themselves, I kept thinking that I want this day to be different. Perhaps motivated by Scott Rodin’s wonderful message yesterday at church, I wanted to stay in that high place of rich worship.

Mary, mother of Jesus, had been in that place. She too had heard an amazing message from God and her response was worship. She began by singing . . .  “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior.” (Luke 1:46–47)

Spurgeon writes about this verse and the response of praise that befits the grandeur of God. Even without a fresh message that glorifies Him, Spurgeon says praise happens when a person begins thinking about God’s character. He suggest to take His attributes one by one and think about them, and as I do that, I will experience great delight and be carried away by wonder, love, and praise as I consider who He is. I will be astonished as I plunge into the wondrous depths of God and everything else will vanish from my vision.

But Spurgeon adds two more praise exercises. He says then to drink Him into myself. He illustrates with lilies that worship God simply by drinking in the sunlight and the dewdrops and by the very human experience of being at the seaside and enjoying the salt sea air. It seems to enter every pore of your body and you feel as if you are drinking in great gulps of well-being health at every breath. He says to do that with God. Go down to the great sea of who He is, magnifying that by thoughts of His greatness and take who He is into my soul.

While God cannot be greater than He is, He can be greater in me than He is at present. He cannot increase nor can there be more of Him than there is, but there can be more of God in me, more of His love, more of His holiness, more of His power, likeness and light.

Then Spurgeon adds another worship exercise. He says, by God’s help, to make Him great by what I give forth. This time he illustrates with a rose. After a rose satisfies itself with a sweet shower, then as soon as the air clears after the rain, that rose fills the garden with delicious perfume.

I am to do the same. First, drink in all I can of God’s great wonder, then exhale; breathe out again in praise, holy living, prayers, zeal and a devotion of spirit that wonder of this God whom I have breathed in. Again, I cannot make more of God than He is, but I can make God more consciously present in my mind and even the minds of others as they think more highly of God because of what I say and do.

You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 5:14–16)

(Scott Rodin, a sample) 

Sing praise

Lately I’ve been listening to Pavarotti and even without knowing Italian, his voice provokes strong emotions, mostly joy. Other singers move me to similar responses, like Josh Groban and Celine Dion.

While I wish I could sing with greater skill, worship leaders say that making a joyful noise unto the Lord does not mean being a good singer. I can worship God without being on key, and even without making music. Yet I know the impact of a voice singing a powerful song.

Mary’s song was powerful. It begins with a very personal line . . .

And Mary said, “My soul magnifies the Lord, and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior . . .  (Luke 1:46–47)

She praised God from the depths of her being, from her “soul” and her “spirit.” This song pleased God and it made it into His Word for us to study and read and enjoy.

Charles Spurgeon wrote today’s devotional and says we must join other Christians in songs of praise, yet never omit this personal note that marked Mary’s song. The hymns we sing as a group in church are not to be sung in a mindless ‘follow along’ with others, but in an intense and heartfelt personal worship. He says, “The music is delightful to us as it rises from thousands of voices, but to God it can be pleasant only as it comes from each heart.”

This reflects the personal relationship each Christian has with Almighty God. I do not have a grand voice and the music may not be perfectly performed (although it usually is), but the heart that worships knows and expresses praise because of that personal union between Him and itself. My heart can say in a song that, “I love You and you love me; even if all other voices were still, my soul glorifies You.”

Spurgeon says to never be satisfied with any kind of worship that does not take up the whole of the inner and higher nature, my soul and my spirit. It is what I am within that I really am before my God, the Living God that I worship. How loud I sing, or how sweet my tone, or how my voice blends with the others is nothing to God unless my spirit and soul truly praises Him.

Who knows, when it does, I might sound better to His ears than all the music award winners combined!