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The Lord is Good
From Psalm 98: 1 O sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things. His right hand and his holy arm have gotten him victory. 2 The Lord has made known his victory; he has revealed his vindication in the sight of the nations. 3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel. All the ends of the earth have seen the victory of our God. 4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises. 5 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre, with the lyre and the sound of melody. 6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord. 7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it; the world and those who live in it. 8 Let the floods clap their hands; let the hills sing together for joy 9 at the presence of the Lord, for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.
The other night, towards the end of a charge conference, the recording secretary, who is also the choir/music director of this small church, gave a report about the choir and music in the church. She spoke of what a great blessing a "new" hymnal had been in the life of this church and while she was speaking about it I returned mentally to the introduction of this same song resource some years ago in a church that I served. It was not pretty. The hymnal in question is called "The Faith That We Sing." It has new hymns in it. And for many, the worst thing you can do is to stray away from "How Great Thou Art," "Amazing Grace," "In the Garden." I almost received a visitor that stopped first at my Children's Coordinator's Office, and I could hear his loud rantings and ravings about that "demonic little book!" And some other things I will not share in print. My staff member is a very kind, patient, loving woman and listened lovingly and kindly. His anger was soothed by the time she passed him over to me. I listened to a calmer version of his anger and tried to explain that the Bible is filled with references to new hymns, including a passage in Revelation that a new song is being written for up there, that no one will know until we get there. I also told him that there was a site that he could visit on his computer and hear the old hymns throughout the day if he so wished. (These were pre-Pandora radio days).
The psalmist is led to proclaim we should sing to the Lord a new song, one that continues our praises to God for the marvelous things God has done since the old hymns were written. It might just be that, like David, we should write our own hymns about what God has done in our lives. David sees hymns for what they truly are, connecting points to the living God, relating our singing to the prayers we should be lifting up to God along with our songs. In our lives God has brought to us many a victory, over illness, sadness, distress, challenges, enemies, you name it! God has revealed to many the victories we have faced and that will continue for us, and all who call upon the Lord. Our song should reflect God's steadfast love and faithfulness to God's people. Everyone will know of God's victory, so, we should join in with a "joyful noise," and "joyous song and sing praises." We should use all the instruments we can. And someone please find in the Bible or the Book of Discipline where it says only pianos and organs are the instruments of choice of the Lord. Stringed instruments and trumpets, and any kind of horn can be used in the making of the joyful noises that God deserves. Listen to the ocean and all that fills it; listen to the sound of the earth and those who live in it. Even floodwaters and hills, in their own way, "clap their hands" and "sing together for joy at the presence of the Lord, for He is coming to judge the earth."
The theme I stress again, is the coming of the Lord and all that will occur on that day. Even judgment, our judgment, will be something to praise for God will judge us with righteousness and equity.
I shared with another charge conference that unlike a credit report, thank God there is no sin report. I questioned whether there was enough paper on the earth to list all our sins, but corrected myself because God forgives and forgets all our sins. God has gone green because of the red spilled by His Son on our behalf. Judgment will be better if we ask forgiveness of our sins on a daily basis.
PRAYER: Loving God, forgive me of my sins. I confess that I have not lived nor done as You have shown me, but I ask for a new opportunity to be faithful and fruitful; and this I ask in Christ jesus' name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
