“Let the godly exult in glory; let them sing for joy on their beds.” (Psalm 149:5, ESV)
When was the last time you couldn’t hold your joy in? When was the last time you jumped for joy or pumped your fist into the air because God had done something wonderful? God is doing amazing things constantly. We only get a glimpse now and then. If you aren’t seeing little and big miracles all around, you aren’t taking the time to look.
I remember a visitor attending my home church many years ago. The man sat through the service, listened intently, and participated with a smile. I thought he enjoyed the service. As I was walking past him later, the man remarked to the family that invited him, “Why do people in your church sing hymns and your choir sing beautiful songs, but nobody smiles?” For the next month, I paid attention to the look on the faces in our congregation as they sang and listened to the sermon and overheard the scripture readings. The visitor was right. They didn’t smile all that much. From the visitor’s perspective, it probably made the worship service seem more like a funeral than a celebration on the Lord’s Day.
There is a famous scripture in Ecclesiastes that begins, “There is a time and season for every matter under heaven..A time to be born and a time to die, A time to sow and a time to reap...” (Ecclesiastes 3:1,2). Sadly, some people stop reading right there. You see, in the next few verses it teaches us that there is “a time to mourn and a time to dance” and “a time to weep and a time to laugh” (Ecclesiastes 3:4). I’ve seen the grieving mourn. I’ve seen people weep when recounting their sins. I’ve seen deep sadness at the loss of a child. What I don’t see enough among Christians is holy dancing and holy laughter. The joy and celebration of the Christian heart and soul are too often absent or downplayed.
Does joy ever desire to jump out of your soul? I hope so. Sometimes, especially in the midst of sorrow, a little joy and celebration at God’s grace can do wonders.
“Author Leo Buscaglia tells this story about his mother and their “misery dinner.” It was the night after his father came home and said it looked as if he would have to go into bankruptcy because his partner had absconded with their firm’s funds. His mother went out and sold some jewelry to buy food for a sumptuous feast. Other members of the family scolded her for it. But she told them that “the time for joy is now, when we need it most, not next week.” Her courageous act rallied the family.” (“Christopher News Notes”, August, 1993).
In the scripture for today, you are reminded to “sing for joy” at crucial moments. When God’s glory shines through and you notice, it’s a good time to sing God’s praises. It’s a perfect time to bring some joy into your prayer or to plaster a smile on your face for hours. Elsewhere in Psalm 149, you are told to “praise God’s name with dancing” (Psalm 149:3). You are told to “make praises to God” (Psalm 149:6). Five times in this short Psalm of ten verses, all the faithful are reminded to “praise” God in one way or another.
Did you know that there are entire Psalms devoted to praising God? Psalms 8, 40, 65,145, 146, and 150 are all known as Psalms of Praise. In ancient times, they were often sung during worship. On special occasions, they were cited. Throughout the Psalms, there are more than 150 instances when people are told to sing praises to God. Praising God isn’t supposed to be rare. It is supposed to be common!
Today, look for God’s grace. Then, celebrate it. Find ways to sing praises to God, to dance a few steps in honor of something God is doing, and to tell someone how much you love God. Let the joy and celebration and praise of God pour forth from your very being. Praise and joy and celebration is infectious. You never know who else might find some joy in a difficult day because of your high praises of God’s goodness.
I remember a visitor attending my home church many years ago. The man sat through the service, listened intently, and participated with a smile. I thought he enjoyed the service. As I was walking past him later, the man remarked to the family that invited him, “Why do people in your church sing hymns and your choir sing beautiful songs, but nobody smiles?” For the next month, I paid attention to the look on the faces in our congregation as they sang and listened to the sermon and overheard the scripture readings. The visitor was right. They didn’t smile all that much. From the visitor’s perspective, it probably made the worship service seem more like a funeral than a celebration on the Lord’s Day.
There is a famous scripture in Ecclesiastes that begins, “There is a time and season for every matter under heaven..A time to be born and a time to die, A time to sow and a time to reap...” (Ecclesiastes 3:1,2). Sadly, some people stop reading right there. You see, in the next few verses it teaches us that there is “a time to mourn and a time to dance” and “a time to weep and a time to laugh” (Ecclesiastes 3:4). I’ve seen the grieving mourn. I’ve seen people weep when recounting their sins. I’ve seen deep sadness at the loss of a child. What I don’t see enough among Christians is holy dancing and holy laughter. The joy and celebration of the Christian heart and soul are too often absent or downplayed.
Does joy ever desire to jump out of your soul? I hope so. Sometimes, especially in the midst of sorrow, a little joy and celebration at God’s grace can do wonders.
“Author Leo Buscaglia tells this story about his mother and their “misery dinner.” It was the night after his father came home and said it looked as if he would have to go into bankruptcy because his partner had absconded with their firm’s funds. His mother went out and sold some jewelry to buy food for a sumptuous feast. Other members of the family scolded her for it. But she told them that “the time for joy is now, when we need it most, not next week.” Her courageous act rallied the family.” (“Christopher News Notes”, August, 1993).
In the scripture for today, you are reminded to “sing for joy” at crucial moments. When God’s glory shines through and you notice, it’s a good time to sing God’s praises. It’s a perfect time to bring some joy into your prayer or to plaster a smile on your face for hours. Elsewhere in Psalm 149, you are told to “praise God’s name with dancing” (Psalm 149:3). You are told to “make praises to God” (Psalm 149:6). Five times in this short Psalm of ten verses, all the faithful are reminded to “praise” God in one way or another.
Did you know that there are entire Psalms devoted to praising God? Psalms 8, 40, 65,145, 146, and 150 are all known as Psalms of Praise. In ancient times, they were often sung during worship. On special occasions, they were cited. Throughout the Psalms, there are more than 150 instances when people are told to sing praises to God. Praising God isn’t supposed to be rare. It is supposed to be common!
Today, look for God’s grace. Then, celebrate it. Find ways to sing praises to God, to dance a few steps in honor of something God is doing, and to tell someone how much you love God. Let the joy and celebration and praise of God pour forth from your very being. Praise and joy and celebration is infectious. You never know who else might find some joy in a difficult day because of your high praises of God’s goodness.