My friend and I often talk about how much louder we sing at church than we used to. I think we get so into worship that we forget anyone might be able to hear us! Recently, I was telling someone else that the singing is so loud and powerful that I just get quiet and listen. The entire gym is filled with people singing and I am overwhelmed! I feel like all of Wilmington can hear the praise and worship! I have been in the sanctuary when there are about 200 people singing and it felt like the roof would blow off. It gives me chills and often I feel tears. It is not just singing it is true worship. When I begin to think about the heavenly choirs surrounding the throne with anthems of praise, and knowing I have loved ones there and I will be there one day, it touches me deeply. I can never again be satisfied with singing. I will strive to make worship fit for glory!
Some studies show that when we sing, our bodies release hormones that relieve anxiety and stress. Research has shown that when a group of people sing together, their heartbeats actually synchronize with each other. Singing helps us remember things. Remember the McDonalds jingle, "two all beef patties, special sauce, lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun." Forty some years later I can still remember that. I wrote a blog about singing at the nursing home and there were Alzheimer’s patients who can’t tell you the name of their spouse or children but can instantly sing songs they learned as a child. singing also connects the words we sing with our hearts. That is why singing can easily bring tears for some of us.
The Bible repeats, "Sing praise" more than fifty times. The Bible contains over four hundred references to singing. The apostle Paul encourages us in Ephesians 5: 19, "...speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord,..." Maybe one reason singing is so important to God is that He sings. Zephaniah 3: 17, "The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing." God exalts over his people with singing!
Psalm 47: 6, "Sing praises to God, sing praises; sing praises to our King, sing praises."
Psalm 96: 1-2, "Sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, praise his name; proclaim his salvation day after day." Colossians 3: 16, "Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts." Psalm 95: 2, "Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song." Extol means to praise enthusiastically!
No matter what you are going through, you can sing to the Lord! It will change your focus and your outlook! We have been given pslams, hymns and spiritual songs to remind us of His faithfulness. And the good news is that it does not matter your level of musical talent! Remember, Psalm 100: 1, "Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!" Psalm 98: 4, "Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises!"
The Savior has rescued us that we might sing the song of the redeemed. May we sing it well. May we sing it constantly. May we sing it passionately. May we sing it for his glory! When a visitor walks into our church our songs should reflect our mission to the world without taking focus from God. Praising God through song will change our thoughts, our hearts and our lives. This is just one more reason we need to be in corporate worship! After I shared my thoughts of the singing at PVUMC with my friend, he told me that this is one of the signs of a healthy church! Make worship fit for glory!
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