Devotion — Thursday, 14 January
Dear Readers and Listeners, Friends in Jesus Christ,
The watch word for today is taken from Psalm 95 verse 2 to 3, “Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving: let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods,” (Amplified Bible). This psalm forms part of the collection of praise psalms, (Psalm 90 tot Psalm 106), calling on the community in the temple to lift up their hearts and make song and music unto the Lord. When the Israelites came out of Egypt they sang a song with Moses singing, “The Lord is my strength and my song,” (Exodus 15:2).Throughout the Biblical narrative the use of song is used as a parallel of earthly music that resounds in heaven as a counterpoint to the celestial sounds. The power of sound is witnessed in “the noise” that was made when the Israelites shouted after the long trumpet call of the ram’s horn. The Walls of Jericho fell miraculously as the sound broke through, (Joshua 6: 5). The songs of David and his playing on the lyre calmed the agitated Saul as is told in One Samuel 18:10. The sounds that are made to praise God are like music in His ears: sounds being uttered by the falling waterfalls, the cracking thunder and the pouring rain. Animals utter praise in a range of sounds. Together the inhabitants of the universe praise God with shouts and acclamations for He is gracious and His loving-kindness continues forever.
When important meetings between leaders of nations, kings and queens and statesmen happen, there is usually a great fanfare of music and singing, welcoming the leaders by sounding the anthems of their countries and paying homage to these earthly rulers. In his vision of homage being paid to God, John writes in Revelation 14: 2-3, “I heard the voice from heaven, like the sound of great waters, like the rumbling of mighty thunder. The voice I heard (sounded) of harpists accompanying themselves as they sang the new song before the throne of God.” Ultimately the songs of earth and the songs of heaven, with all the strains of beauty, joy, love, hope, as well as sadness and mourning, will join together in great praise and jubilation to God! The music of earth is already overflowing with such beauty, it fills us with awe. We are deeply moved as we listen and join in the music and noises of the earth; how much more will our participation in the music of heaven not fill us with joy? God hears the cries and songs of his children, and he listens to their symphonies and songs, for it pleases him that we make joyful noises unto Him!
The apostle Paul in his First Letter to Timothy reminds us of the coming again of our Lord Jesus Christ, when he will be acknowledged as the Son of God, the One who came to save the World. Paul writes in One Timothy 6: 15-16, “(His) appearing will be shown forth in His own proper time by the blessed, only Sovereign, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, who alone has immortality and lives in unapproachable light, Whom no man has ever seen or can see. Unto Him be honour and everlasting power and dominion. Amen,” (Amplified Bible). While we are waiting for the coming of our Lord, we have to suffer the ordeals of living in a World that must still “become what it ought to be,” the New Earth. It will serve us well if we sing our morning and evening songs to the Lord and wait, and not faint, until we hear the trumpet sounds, and the angelic music proclaiming again: “Do not be afraid, we bring you great tidings!”
Father, thank you for giving voices and specific sounds to your creatures and your children, voices to praise you with everything that is within us. We come to you and we pray that you will hear our sad songs in the nights of our sickness and sorrow, and the glad morning songs of our hope and joy. This we pray in the Name of Jesus, Amen.
