All of us have things that we do that irritate other people. I've talked about the thing that I do that irritates all my family and most of the people that I work with. But this week I'm preaching on a scripture that gave me new hope that my habit may not be as bad as it is made out to be. When I am working at something and enjoying it...I hum. And I hum a lot. I don't do it loudly, but you can hear it. Now when they roll their eyes at me, I know what I've been doing, but the problem isn't that it is just humming...it is humming the same thing over and over again. I admit it! But I'm going to be bringing a message to folks in a bit from Psalm 100 and it says that we are to make a joyful noise to the Lord...and that command was for all the earth. And it says that we are to come into his presence with joyful songs. Now I was encouraged to study this passage and find that it didn't specify what kind of songs or in my case noise, we had to make. So, my fallback humming song is.... the theme from Walt Disney's "Davey Crockett". Yeah, I don't know why either. I do praise songs and even old hymns from time to time. But my default position is Davey Crockett. And if I'm enjoying life, what I am doing and I hope I'm feeling that God and me and in that together...often out of my heart comes Davey Crockett. So, for me I make a joyful noise to the Lord, and it might be "What can wash away my sins?" or "Amazing Grace" or... the theme from "Gilligan's Island". But whatever it is ...it is joyful. And in the first two verses it says to be joyful with your "noise" and your songs. So, I would pray that you too would be at a place where your heart can't help but bust out a song that is joyful. And remember that joy comes from a heart that is filled with thanksgiving to God. Because he has been so good, so generous, so patient and so loving with me...and with you. And I will consciously try to use some of the praise songs we sing Sunday, but it just might come out as the theme song to the Beverly Hillbillies! But what I would hope is that my granddaughters, who roll their eyes at grandpa when he starts making his noise might remember the joyful noise and joyful songs when I am gone. And as they bask in God's goodness, without thinking, just maybe what will come out of them will be "Born on a mountain top in Tennessee..." just because they remember that it was a song that came out of the thankful heart of one who taught them to hum to God.
Here's our Bible verse for today...
Psalms 100:1-2 A Psalm of thanksgiving. Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth. (2) Serve the LORD with gladness; come into His presence with joyful songs.
Remember I'm praying for you!
With love, PJ
Here's our Bible verse for today...
Psalms 100:1-2 A Psalm of thanksgiving. Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth. (2) Serve the LORD with gladness; come into His presence with joyful songs.
Remember I'm praying for you!
With love, PJ