Sing to the Lord

Last summer, I opened my windows one morning to let in the cool breeze. June in Northern California means the days start to get uncomfortably warm. I hoped I could get a little extra coolness in before we had to shut the windows for the day. The natural air-conditioning does wonders for cooling the house early in the morning and late in the evening.

Yet, instead of hearing the usual chirping birds and the chattering squirrels in my yard, I heard singing. A beautiful, sweet voice of a young girl was singing just outside my window in my neighbor’s yard.

My neighbor, who doesn’t have young children, did have grandchildren. This was a granddaughter staying for a few days, and it explained the young, lilting voice I’d heard coming over the fence.

I couldn’t see her, but she was there, softly but intently singing a melody for us neighbors to hear. She may not have even known I had heard her, and really, I don’t think she cared if we did. She was singing and enjoying herself, oblivious to the ears listening.

All I could think about was how innocent and pure her voice sounded. It reminded me of what our voices must sound like to the Lord. When we praise Him, even if no one else hears us, when we sing of his worthiness, honor, and goodness, out of the purity of our hearts, he must melt when he hears us, happy that we’re honoring Him.

That little girl didn’t know I heard her, but she reinforced the concept God so dearly wants from us: worship and pure-of-heart declarations that we love Him. Just as I thought of the little girl singing as a sweet sound, our worship of Him is the sweetest sound in His ears, too.

I don’t recall if my open windows cooled the house down much. In retrospect, I’m sure it did very little. But I do recall this girl’s voice singing out loud and clear without a care in the world. I can take a lesson or two from her: sing praises and sing often to the Lord regardless of who’s listening.

Finch Food for Thought: When was the last time you sang out loud to God?