Sing Unto the Lord
Sing Unto the Lord
This was the name of the songbook in the Pentecostal Church I grew up in.
It was my favorite songbook. It was the only songbook I knew.
During COVID, I ordered a copy of it to teach my children the hymns I grew up singing. To my dismay, the organization changed the songs that were listed. It was an abbreviated version of my childhood memory.
Singing has always been one of my favorite things. It makes me happy. I love music, and I love to sing. I always wanted to be a jazz soloist. I don’t have a strong soloist voice, but I can carry a tune. I’m an efficient backup/choir singer. It never stopped me from grabbing the mic in church or at Karaoke.
Most of my adult life I’ve sat on the back pew and absorbed the goodness of God. During covid, we weren’t going to church at all. No one was. I was inspired to sing and write like never before. I’ve written so many poems and songs over the last 4 years. Most of which have been for encouragement and empowerment, now inspirational.
Last year I went through a travailing season of sorrow. It took me back to Calvary. God is doing a new thing in my life. Clearly, he’s up to something because I would never have imagined myself in a new small Pentecostal Church. I thought that book in my life had closed, never to reopen or continue.
There is a song that says, “Love Lifted Me.” The last year of my life has been the lyrics of this song. The love of God has lifted and carried me in ways I can’t describe. I’m attending a church where I feel the love of God covering all my broken pieces. I no longer sit on the “back-slider row”. I now sit at the front. In fact, I don’t even sit. I stand before the internet and congregation, humbly singing my part (as best as I can) to the Lord for he has given me joy and made me glad.
There have been dark days. On these days I had no song, not even a whistle. Now there is joy in my heart, and a new song of praise. The very notion is WILD! Here recently I’ve had lunch with my close friends, and we talk about this new season in my life and how wild it is that I’m here, and overflowing in joy. For this I’m grateful.
The miracle is that I’m involved in church again. The way I was raised, only perfect people could serve God boldly.
Now as an adult, I know this to be different. God uses ordinary, imperfect people to share his love every day. So this is me, making my way back to Calvary. It’s me figuring out my salvation in a new day in a new way. Its me, still being me, but oh so grateful God’s love has been faithful and has lifted me from the depths of despair.
I don’t know where you are with your spiritual journey. Maybe you’re all set in peace and prosperity. If you are not, I want you to know that God loves you and is nearer than you think. Even when you’re upside down, and at the same time inside out, Jesus loves you and has plan for your life. I do know that he is as close as the mention of his name, and we are never alone.
In the sadness of life, these thoughts are the most comforting. There have been many people who have loved me to this season in my life, and I am forever grateful.
I’m not certain that I’ll be able to continue singing on our praise team due to time restrictions, but for now, I’ll sing unto the Lord both new and old songs with joy and gladness.
I invite you to do the same in your own way, with your own gifts. Count your blessings and see the miracles of God in your life. May the Joy of the Lord be our strength, and we sing of his goodness forever.
Abundance Always.
#singuntotheLord
#lifeofbliss
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