Singing My Heart Out

When I'm in church and the music starts, I sing my HEART out! This is a new freedom for me, honestly. I can remember a day when if I had a rough morning with the kids or if I was struggling with a spiritual "dry patch", I felt like a hypocrite for singing with joy and gusto. Or, if the song spoke of some trait I had yet to conquer, I felt unworthy to sing it. Here was the REAL problem, worship was all about me...

But it's NOT about me. It's out GOD, THE GOD of Heaven and Earth, the God who saves, the God who created all things.

"Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
bring an offering and come before him.
Worship the Lord in the splendor of his holiness." ~1 Chronicles 16:29

I sing my heart out with freedom not because I am worthy, or "got it right that day", but because God is worthy of my worship and praise.

And I've learned that God and I can do business right there as I worship...

I can confess my sin and failure as I sing...

I can pray for those qualities brought up in songs that I don't possess...

I can praise God for all that He is in spite of all I am...

So, if you see me singing for all I am worth either with tears or a big ole grin...

It's not 'cause I'm something or anything, it's not 'cause I'm getting it right every day, it's not even necessarily because our morning went smoothly before church or on the way to church...

It's because I belong to an AWESOME God who loved me and died for me while I was still in my sin, who reached down and saved me by His amazing grace, who lives eternally and will someday bring me HOME to live with Him.

"I waited patiently for the Lord;
he turned to me and heard my cry.
He lifted me out of the slimy pit,
out of the mud and mire;
he set my feet on a rock
and gave me a firm place to stand.
He put a new song in my mouth,
a hymn of praise to our God.
Many will see and fear the Lord
and put their trust in him."

~Psalm 40:1-3