Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
Our watchword for the week following the fourth Sunday of Easter, Cantate Sunday, is taken from Psalm 98 verse 1, “Sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvellous things,” (NRSVB). On the Sundays following Easter, culminating in Pentecost, we have looked at the progression of faith following the Resurrection of the Lord and the Salvation Plan for the world. After Easter morning the faith in the promises revealed through scripture, realized in the work of the Messiah, Jesus, on the Cross, had to be reinterpreted in light of the Gift of Christ and the fulfilment of the Gospel. The first Sunday after Easter we looked at the knowledge that we are like little newborn babies learning to walk in the faith and receiving the milk of the word that will assure spiritual growth. The second Sunday after Easter spoke of the hope and guidance we have in the loving-kindness of our Good Shepherd. The third Sunday encouraged us to shout in jubilation to the Lord because we have been made a new creation. Today we are looking at the new song that God gives his new creation. Our hearts and mouths are filled with news songs because we see that God works around us in miraculous ways, even during anxious and fearful times. When we take hold of the word of God, his eternal word, that will not fail us, and we join it with the human melodies of God’s creatures, we bring God an offering of song and praise. God delights in our songs to him, whether our songs are joyful songs, or lament songs, prayers or praises, God fuses these together as a great witness of praise that reaches up to his throne. Singing and music can express what we experience in our hearts and cannot put to words, our melodies interpret our words!
Moses interpreted the Words of God and the Laws of the Torah to the people of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness. Before the Lord came to fetch Moses and take him home to be with God, Moses spoke his farewell teaching, “Set your minds and hearts on all the words which I command you this day, that you may command them to your children, that they may be watchful to do all the words of this law. For it is not an empty and worthless trifle for you; it is your very life. By it you shall live long in the land which you are going over the Jordan to possess,” Deuteronomy, Chapter 32 verses 46 and 47, (Amplified Bible). We all have to cross many streams and rivers in our lives and finally we have to cross “Jordan” to possess the Promised Land of Heaven and eternal life with God. When our minds and hearts are in one accord we can bravely face the future, but when we are pulled in different directions, we fail to move forward. Singing and music bring a definite uniform rhythm to our steps, enabling us to move up the mountains, and down the valleys, crossing the rivers, harmoniously, together. The Spirit moves within our hearts and minds and expresses through groans and melody the deepest thoughts of our hearts. He gives us songs and words when are own words lack knowledge and our own melodies lack harmony. Jesus said in the Gospel of John, Chapter 6 verse 63, “The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life,” (NRSVB).
The life of the plant is expressed in the crown of its fruit and flower; this is the plant’s new song of praise. We receive this gift from the plant and rejoice. Likewise, the song of the birds and heavenly elements, their melodies rise up to praise their Creator. We are called to join the universe with our praise. The words that God has published for us in Scripture are not empty, but words of love and life, singing the redemption story joyfully.
Father, we thank you for your words, for the music and harmony that you have given us. May our songs and prayers, our psalms and hymns magnify your majesty, Amen.