Do you like to laugh? Do you enjoy laughing with others? Do you like to sing? Do you sing at the top of your voice when one of your favorite songs comes on the radio? Do you prefer to be happy? Do you worship God in your laughing, singing, and gladness?
We all enjoy a good laugh. The old saying, laughter is good for the soul, I believe is true. I have seen a lot of healing take place in laughter. A patient in the hospital feels better with a little laughter. A broken hearth feels better with laughter. Whether a little chuckle or a hearty laugh, it is good for us.
Singing is also good for the soul. We may not be able to carry a tune in a bucket, but singing heart felt songs is good for us. We poor out our feelings. Singing sad songs allows us to get those sad feeling off our chest. Singing joyous songs raises our spirits. Yes, singing is good for us. Perhaps that is why John Wesley said to sing loud when we sing our worship hymns.
Some do not like contemporary Christian music. They think it is offensive to God. But we might want to go back and read our Bibles. David often celebrated to God with several musical instruments. He even danced in the streets singing and banging a tambourine in his underwear! God sees the heart and is happy anytime we sing with our heart, whether with musical instruments or not, whether the music is blaring at a hundred decibels or a mere twenty-five.
God desires us to worship him with gladness in our heart and singing his praises. Too often we go to him with worry, anxiety, fear, and wants. If we were to sing his praises more often, those feelings would go away. We would come to know that he is God, and he is in control. The hymns, especially, have well-grounded lyrics based in Biblical text. We learn more about God while singing, and we lift our spirits at the same time.
I pray we all sing praises to God. I pray we sing in our hearts throughout the day. I pray each one of us will choose to play old hymns, southern gospel, or contemporary Christian on our radios. Sing with gladness. Make a joyful noise to God. Worship God through music. Lift your spirits through music.
Psalm 100:1-2
Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
Worship the Lord with gladness;
come into his presence with singing.
Marty Pressey 