What do we sing about God?
We sing of His glory, His love, His compassion, His righteousness, His glory, His wisdom, and so much more. And as we sing, we are filled in our souls with expressions of praise and adoration of someone so brilliant. Even if we’re convicted of sin or challenged about behaviour to be corrected, the basis is still on a wonderful relationship with the glorious Creator of the universe.
Then we sing about Jesus. We sing of His life, ministry, crucifixion, resurrection, ascension and return. We sing of who He is as our Lord and Saviour. We sing of who He is as the Living Word and the Good Shepherd. We sing of His saving us, interceding for us, leading us, beautifying us and preparing us for His return. And as we sing, our entire beings are filled with expressions of praise and adoration of someone so brilliant. Even if we’re challenged about our failings and flaws, the basis is still on a beautiful relations with the only begotten Son of God who has reconciled us back to the Father.
These are scriptural truths discovered in the Word of God that inform what we say and what we sing about the Father and the Son. Songs sung and words spoken as inspired by the dwelling of the Holy Spirit.
It was very interesting to read Paul talk to his audience in Ephesians 5:18-21, warning them not to be drunk with wine. Paul wasn’t being exclusive with the alcoholic beverage. Paul was referring to a lifestyle where getting inebriated was the norm. It was the norm to be merry under the influence of the vine. Today, the culture still sees release in being under the influence of alcoholic spirits.
Paul’s point is about our tendency to be full of things, intoxicated by things, and influenced by the spirits of things that will ruin our lives. There is so much around our world that fits that bill. Addictions, obsessions, idols. We operate under their influence, we say we don’t know what we’re doing, and we lose control, but where are we afterwards? As Paul says about the wine, it will ruin our lives.
God presents a path to real life. And that path involves a life of singing. A life of music. Paul wholeheartedly encourages us to get into the music and especially the singing. What’s going on when we sing? We deliver the truths of God from the heart and mind. It is something we know and express with all our being. This is who God is. This is what God has done. This is what God will do. Behold our God.
Not just that, but behold who we are as the beloved of God. We are filled with this as the Spirit of God fills us, for what are we told the Spirit will do? He will lead us to the Truth. He will lead us in the Truth. We won’t be under the influence of the wicked one. Will be under the influence of the holy one. We will be filled with Him as we are filled with the Holy Spirit.
We get to sing something far beyond the Holy, Holy, Holy that the angels sing. We sing the song of salvation. We sing the song of victory. We sing the song of belonging. We sing the song of restoration and reconciliation. We sing the song of once being of no mercy and now being people of mercy. We sing the song of once being strangers and aliens to the commonwealth of the covenant, and now we belong to the family of God, washed in the fountain, cleansed by His blood, joint-heirs with Jesus as we journey along, so we’re glad we belong to the family of God.
When the people of Israel made it through the Red Sea, they sang a song of victory. When they saw the Lord deliver for them, it was their habit to come bursting out with song to the Lord. Their greatest King was a songwriter responsible for a number of the psalms we cherish today. Experiences with God, whether in lament or rejoicing, were put to song. These are things we sing together, we sing to each other, and most importantly, we sing to God.
As well as that, however, there’s something about that life that makes a difference to who we are together, how we engage together and what we long for in our relationships. It is not enough to call ourselves brothers and sisters in Christ. Those sentiments mean nothing by just saying them. It is not enough to call ourselves saints of the Most High God. Those sentiments mean nothing as we just say them. They have meaning as they’re put into practice in our lives, interacting with each other, which makes our connection not just a relationship – we’re in fellowship with each other.
So we speak to each other lyrically. What does that mean? That means we’re invested in life-building conversations. Sure, others can have their social chat about their children, their jobs, their holidays, their cars, and their favourite coffee. We can have that, but we have something much more. We have a desire to see our brothers and sisters grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. We have a burning desire for the brother and sister to think on whatever is true, noble, right, pure, lovely, admirable, excellent and praiseworthy. We want to see the Kingdom of God demonstrated and declared in and through each other. We want to see what God will do in us and through us. That will affect how we talk about the children, holidays, cars and even the coffee. It will also have us practising encouragement, forgiveness, mercy, wisdom, thanksgiving, and so much more.
As we pursue this, our posture toward each other is also radical. We don’t come looking to be treated as an equal; we come under the person, we respect the person, we honour the person, we want to know how to serve them and understand them because this is the character of Christ, and it’s what we do because we revere Christ. It is loving Jesus, for sure, but Paul doesn’t leave it to mere expressions of love as the motivation for how we treat our siblings in Christ. Reverential fear of the Lord Jesus Christ deepens the context in which we approach the brother and/or sister.
This is such a challenge when so much of church life mimics systems and conditions around us. So those in leadership are unapproachable because of their view of their position. Structures that give people titles and positions are soon seen as no different to the civil service and the hierarchy that puts some people above others and expects a sense of entitlement as a result. Even though Jesus strictly instructed His disciples not to follow that model. Christ typified the kind of submissive interaction He expected when He washed His disciples’ feet.
It’s also why He installed a plurality approach to leadership so that we could see what submissive relationships look like from those who lead by example. The community witnesses submission to one another as they see those in leadership come alongside them, support them, and relate to them in a serving capacity. It sets an example for others to follow, and they never depart from it because of their reverence for Jesus Christ.
Such is the value of the song and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Kingsman.
For His Name’s Sake
C. L. J. Dryden
Shalom
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