Why We Sing

Several months ago Jones and I were fishing and she started singing Chris Tomlin’s “Everlasting God”. When she got to the chorus she forgot the words, but substituted her own without missing a beat:
You are the everlasting God!
You do the things you are!
You do not faint,
You won’t grow weary!

You do the things you are. “Hmm”, thought I, “Not originally a part of the song, but theologically profound.”

Exodus 34: 6 And he passed in front of Moses, proclaiming, "The LORD, the LORD, the compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness, 7 maintaining love to thousands, and forgiving wickedness, rebellion and sin.

When Nathan was here in March we were talking about the joy of seeing our children love and spontaneously worship the Lord and I shared this story with him. He pointed out that this was why we teach our kids songs and scripture. So that as they go through life and experience its joy and pain, they will have words to express it near at hand and truth to lean upon in this unstable world.

I heard a sermon the other day titled Why We Sing. While I’ve heard lots of sermons about worship, preaching about tithes and offerings, prayer, communion, fellowship, the importance of reading, hearing, and teaching scripture, and even sermons about how we should sing, I don’t think I’ve ever heard one about why we sing.
While listening to this message I realized that what Nathan and I had discussed in March didn’t just apply to our children, but to all of us, young and old.

James 5:13 Is any one of you in trouble? He should pray. Is anyone happy? Let him sing songs of praise.