Monday, March 9
Read Psalm 95
O come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! (v 1)
JOYFUL NOISE
Recently I read that the best-selling prescription drug in America in 2014 (worth $6.9 billion to its maker) was Ambilify, an anti-depressant. When I thought about this verse and singing to the rock of our salvation, I wondered if there was a direct correlation. Could it be that when we fail to be joyful and sing to the Lord, we become depressed? I cannot think of a time when participating in music brought sadness to my life. I can only think of times when singing brought me out of sadness or loneliness or fear or frustration or anger or depression.
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In Africa, my teacher housemate Mary Nelson and I would sit by candlelight in our living room and sing the vespers service in the evening and feel closer to home.
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When I rode in the car with Samwel Umezurumba, a magistrate working in Tanzania, we would sing hymns we both knew from our childhoods — he had learned the songs in an Anglican mission school in Nigeria — and we would both feel happier.
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People from many nations joined to sing “The Messiah” at Christmas in Arusha, Tanzania, and the spirit of Christ brought us together far from home.
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I needed sleep, but the Joy Folk college singing group came late in the evening to practice for a program. That music gave me new energy.
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I memorized new songs while riding my bike on Nebraska country roads when I felt so frustrated that I had to get out of the house.
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Paul played the guitar and we sang the “Holden Evening Prayer” by moonlight at Niobrara State Park. It brought peace. I didn’t feel like getting out of bed, but Maria came bouncing into the room, jumped on the bed and said, “Let’s sing a happy song, Mom.” I got up easily.
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Shortly before my mother died, we visited her in Minnesota. She didn’t remember me, but she remembered all the words to “Silent Night” and smiled while we sang together.
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“Lord, Enter My Soul” the mass choir sang, and I could feel it happening!
Maybe music can’t heal everything, but the Lord works in mysterious ways, and I believe that songs can do marvelous things when they have a message that reaches the heart.
Glennyce Reimers
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