Sing – From A Pastor's Heart

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The build-up and anticipation of Christmas is unequaled in our country! As is often said, “The preparation for Christmas seems to get earlier and earlier each year.” Indeed, Christmas is a very special holiday and one that many folks prepare for throughout the whole year. But, what about the days after? Is there a let-down? After all the planning and performing of cantatas as well as children’s plays, buying and wrapping gifts, preparing for company and meals, taking family photos, and celebrating firsts (marriage, children, house, job), is all over, how will you handle the days and the weeks after?

Begin today in God’s Word reading it with the same passion as you did all the “Christmas passages.” Memorize other portions of the Word of God with the same fervor as you did to memorize Luke 2:1-20. Read books about the life of Christ beyond the cradle with the same zeal as you did all the Christmas books. Read them to your children, and make Christ’s life BIG to them every day!!
Live with a daily anticipation of the next biggest day of your life as a believer—the Rapture & the Bema (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18; Titus 2:11-14; 12 Corinthians 5:10).
Enjoy singing songs of praise and worship to our God all the other months of the year with gusto and joy on your face as you did the carols of this season (Psalm 96:1-9).
Be a giver today as you were on Christmas (Acts 20:35).
Open up your home for family and guests today and into next year (Romans 12:13; 1 Peter 4:9).
Walk in the same grace today that was sufficient yesterday as you dealt with the “tug in your heart” over that special person that was not here this Christmas season (2 Corinthians 12:9).
Be as energetic today about the gospel as you have been prior to December 25 (Philippians 1:27).

2 Peter 1:3-8

According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue:

⁴Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.

⁵And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge;

⁶And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness;

⁷And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity.

⁸For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.

(Photo: Steven Lawson)

While checking my email, I saw a subject line from Pandora entitled, “304 songs in June.” I clicked on the post and was informed by Pandora how many songs I listened to during the month, which was my go-to-station, and that I like 61 songs enough to give them a thumbs up! Sometimes it’s a bit scary to know that the internet sometimes knows more about me than I know of myself. 🙂

Let’s make a spiritual application here for a Monday. When the month of July comes to an end, how many songs will you have sung to the Lord? What will have been your go-to-station—music that fed your soul or your flesh? How many songs will you have given a thumbs up of rejoicing; hands raised in the air? God wants to hear you sing! He’s listening!

Psalm 95:1-2 Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!

Psalm 100:1-2 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth! Serve the Lord with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!

Psalm 147:1 Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.

Acts 16:25 At midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them,

Colossians 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.

God Wants To Hear You Sing