Sing!

Did you notice? In the midst of Jeremiahs Lamentation there is found the inspiration for a most beautiful and favored hymn?  “Great is Thy Faithfulness!" (Lamentations 3:23)  

I am coming to appreciate singing now as a means of worship and praise more than I ever had - I am enjoying singing, both as a participant, and as an audience - - I love singing!  Singing is a beautiful means of expression, but singing is also good theology. Our singing is more than a warm-up for the sermon or a filler for the service.  In Colossians 3:16, we read: “Let the Word of Christ dwell in you richly . . . singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. . . “  This teaching of Paul highlights a very important theological reason for singing.  Singing is important to our knowledge of Christ.  Pastor C. J. Mahaney says, “Church singing is take home theology,” because, Mahaney says, “the best songs we sing together are a powerful three minute, easily memorized, deeply Biblical summary of many important truths and doctrine.”

Singing is so important that it is a command!  And it is a command that comes with a promise. As we sing Psalms, Hymns and Spiritual Songs together, we are promised that the word of God will dwell in us richly.

Over the next several posts, Lord willing, we will borrow from a another preacher, a hymn writer named Charles Chisholm who is the author of the song “Great is Thy Faithfulness.”  His third stanza shall serve as our outline for the next three or four posts, here is what Chisholm has said:

Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth.

Thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;

Strength for today, and bright hope for tomorrow,

Blessings all mine, and ten thousand beside!