When God Says, "Sing"

Last week I blogged about feeling like my light was being snuffed out. Like I had lost my joy. I felt like God had me in a dark place and my light for Him couldn't shine through. Now, I'm not about to tell you that those feelings are completely gone. I still feel like the darkness around me is great. I have times that I feel I've lost my joy. But God is doing great things in me if I'll only open up my eyes to see them.

This week He's been telling me to sing. I don't think He literally means I'm to sing some sort of melodious tune. I see something a bit different here. Now, before you think I've gone crazy and think I've decided to change the definition of the word "sing," hang in with me.

Go back with me to Tuesday. I was headed to pick my daughter up from work and had my Carpenters station playing on Pandora. I heard the mellow voice of Karen Carpenter (one of my favorite singers!) begin singing a song first heard on Sesame Street. *side note Karen made it a hit in 1973. In the song, I heard the words (and sang loudly along):

Richard and Karen Carpenter

    Sing, sing a song
    Make it simple to last your whole life long
    Don't worry that it's not good enough for anyone else to hear
    Just sing, sing a song.

Again, I get more than literal singing out of this. As I listened to this song I've heard hundreds of times before, I felt something I hadn't before. We all have a song to sing, a story to be told. We're all worth being heard. Sometimes we feel like we're not quite as good as everyone else. We think we're less than ideal. However, it doesn't matter what anyone else thinks. It matters that we tell our story.

This morning, I woke up with a song we've sang a couple times in church. It's called "Did You Feel the Mountains Tremble" by Matt Redman. The chorus has been in my head and on my lips all day long. I've whistled it, hummed it and even spent some time singing it. The words to the chorus are:
   Open up the doors and let the music play
   Let the streets resound with singing.
   Songs that bring Your hope
   Songs that bring Your joy
   Dancers who dance upon injustice.

Here I feel like God was telling me not to be silent. Don't sing quietly. Don't be ashamed to let people know I'm a Christ-follower. I've been trying to let my light shine just by being kind. By smiling at those people with whom I cross paths. To ask them how they are. Try to relate to them by their purchases (if they're buying diapers, ask how old their little one is, if they're buying dog food ask them about their four-legged companion, etc) But God wants more from me.

I'm going to sing. I'm going to tell my story. As long as God keeps writing the pages of my book, I'll keep reading it aloud to those I meet. People will know I love Jesus. They will know I follow Christ. They will know He is the reason I live and move and breathe. I won't be silent! I'll shout it from the rooftops.

Oh, and if I offend you by singing my song and sharing my Christ, well...I won't apologize. Love me or leave me.