Sing to the Lord

If you love Christmas songs, you need to join us at First Baptist Church this Sunday, Dec. 17, at 10:45 a.m. Both our children’s and adult choirs will be presenting the Christmas story through music, and we want you to be our guest.

We’re not the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir, you understand, but for our 16-member choir composed of decidedly non-classically trained vocalists, I think we make a pretty decent sound. Props go out to our fantastic choir director who has excelled at herding screeching cats to produce something of a melodic purr, and who also happens to be my lovely bride. Most importantly, we’re seeking to make a joyful noise to the Lord, and our desire is that He will be honored in our hearts first and with the songs of our lips. 

At the least, you need to come and hear the children singing. They’ll sing three numbers to start off the worship celebration, and I feel confident in saying that you’ll be smiling as they sing their little hearts out in joy and wonder at the birth of Jesus. 

I think I’ve said this before, but there truly is something remarkable about singing praise to the Lord. Did you know that the pages of the Bible are filled with songs of gratitude and joy and praise and worship to God, along with songs of lamentation and sorrow? Did you know that the Bible not only encourages us to sing, but commands it? 

“Oh sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day” (Psalm 96:1). 

It seems that Christmas carols prove especially meaningful in blessing His name as we celebrate this season. There’s something joyous that happens when we lift our voices together singing, “O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, O come, let us adore Him, Christ the Lord!” 

And there’s something special about gathering to light candles on Christmas Eve singing, “Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright.” 

I know not everyone “feels like it” when it comes to Christmas spirit. For some, the winter blues or Seasonal Affective Disorder is a very dark and debilitating condition. Some people have endured traumatic experiences that leave them more dreading the season than sipping up Christmas cheer like a hot cup of wassail. 

But if you’re a believer in Christ then I want to challenge you in particular to sing anyway, even when you don’t feel like it. Especially when you don’t feel like it! I believe that to some degree you can sing and praise your way out of the funk. 

Because when your mind engages with your heart to express songs of worship through your lips, God has a way of drawing you up from the pit of destruction, out of the miry bog and setting your feet upon a rock, making your steps secure. He has a way of healing the brokenhearted and binding up their wounds.  He has a way of tending his flock like a shepherd; gathering the lambs in his arms, carrying them in his bosom and gently leading those that are with young (see Psalm 40:2-3; Psalm 147:2; Isaiah 40:11). 

So tune the dial into your favorite Christian radio station and start crooning away. Or invest in Casting Crowns’ “Peace on Earth” album, or maybe Amy Grant’s “A Christmas Album” from 1983, and let the songs lift your spirit as you belt our your best audition performance. Everybody and their brother’s got a Christmas album out, so find the kind of music that suits your style and go for it. 

And come sing with us this Sunday! “Praise the Lord! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting” (Psalm 147:1)