Did you know that when you sing, you make war against God's enemies? Powerful things happen when you sing your way through trials – so, sing often!
SHAUNA: This is Shauna on Joni Eareckson Tada: Sharing Hope with a hymn from Joni that always comforts. Maybe you know it.
(Joni sings:)
I come to the garden alone while the dew is still on the roses.
And the voice I hear falling on my ear
The Son of God discloses.
And He walks with me, and He talks with me
And He tells me I am His own
And the joy we share as we tarry there
None other has ever known
I love that old hymn, and I sing it often, not only this hymn, but many songs of worship because singing matters. It matters in the middle of the night when fears creep in, or on a beautiful morning when your praise to God just has to express itself in song. It even matters in an elevator—how else might others know why I'm smiling in a wheelchair, except that I sing, and sing about Jesus?
You know, Pastor Colin Smith once preached a sermon about ‘7 Biblical Reasons Why Singing Matters.’ First, in Ephesians chapter 5 it says when you sing, you are obedient to God’s will. The command is “Be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms, and hymns, and songs from the Spirit.” Next, when you sing, you dig deep roots into the Word of God. Colossians 3 says that: “Let the message of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms and hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your heart.”
The first two verses of Psalm 105 tell us that singing proclaims the Gospel to unbelievers. It says, “Give praise to the Lord and proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he’s done. Sing to him, sing praise to him; tell of all his wonderful acts.” Next, the Bible says that when you sing, you make war against God's enemies. One of the first lines of Miriam’s song in Exodus 15 is, “The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name.” And that, friend, is something to sing about! Another reason why singing should matter to us Christians? Well, you are spiritually strengthened for the trials of life. Just look at Acts 16:25 where it says, “About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening.” It was a concert that brought down the house! Paul and Silas were set free from their chains by an earthquake. Powerful things happen when we sing our way through trials. Another reason: When you sing, you experience the joy that comes only from the Holy Spirit! And the seventh reason why singing really matters, why you should sing, why you must sing? Second Chronicles Chapter 5, says that when you sing, you glorify God.
So, sing and sing often, with great courage, and just know that your singing matters to God, and to the people, and to the angels in his kingdom. It even matters to Satan who will flee from you lickety-split when you start singing praises to God. So, tomorrow morning if it’s a beautiful day, rise up and sing with joy, and if trials hit, sing your way through them as well because singing really does matter.
© Joni and Friends