Phil Smith encourages us all to sing to the Lord from our hearts
I have met so many people over the years who are fearful or reluctant to sing, or who have not done so for many years due to a negative, critical opinion imposed on them in the past about their singing voice. This is a tragedy, not only because many of whom I have since heard actually have very lovely singing voices, but also in light of one of the main reasons we were created.
The psalmist sings, “For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made” (Psalm 139 verses 13-14). In their book entitled Sing!, Keith and Kristyn Getty say, “Singing is not merely a happy by-product of God’s real intent of making us creatures who can speak. It is something we’re designed to be able to do.”
The reality is that we can all sing – perhaps not as in tune as we would each like or in the same tone and clarity as our favourite artiste, but the physical mechanics for us to do so have been knit together within us and the “knitter” is longing to hear and treasure the sound raised in worship to Him. Who among you does not cherish the sound of your child/grandchild/niece/nephew when they let out a little song, irrespective of actual pitch and tonality? How much more does our Father love to hear our songs?
By contrast to timid/reluctant singing during my student days in Bristol, I attended a church that, on one particular evening, was being recorded during the singing to be featured on Songs of Praise. I remember to this day having left the service feeling slightly sickened with the stark observation that the enthusiasm of the singing and volume of attendance was far in excess compared with every other service that I had attended there. Why did the congregation make more effort for the BBC than they normally do for their heavenly Father?
So, please can I encourage you, when we come to times of singing together, let’s remember who we’re worshipping and why, and raise our voices for His glory and pleasure alone. Let us forever “Sing and make music from [our hearts] to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5 verses 19b-20)
Phil Smith, worship team leader
