SING A NEW SONG TO THE LORD!


 

Tuesday Morning Prayer Reflection 06/02/20
Ps 45 presents an interesting phrase: “My heart is stirring with a noble song” Do you have a song in your heart? I am not talking about that kind of song you have listened today and keep playing in your mind. I am talking about real life experiences that could be turned into a song. So, do you have a song, or a prayer request in your heart? I am sure we all have petitions in our hearts, we wish God would answer. That can be like a song stirring in the heart.
The Psalmist says a song was stirring in his mind and heart. What was going on? If you see or experience injustice, understandably you may be deeply affected and say something like: “Lord, please intervene in my situation, Conquer in the cause of truth. Don’t allow the truth to be trampled on!” For example, I may ask God: “How will I respond to this in a wise way O Lord?” Will I be foolish or will I be wise? I need divine wisdom so I may not react with the eyes of flesh instead of the eyes of the Spirit, not focusing more on my stirred emotions, instead focusing on acting with wisdom from God.
The Word of God in Ecclesiastes 2 says ultimately none of this will be remembered, yet even so, he asks a question: “How can the wise die like fools? In other words: [Would it have been worth it to struggle being wise and die like fools die in the end?] my emphasis. However way you look at it, Ecclesiastes says there is pain to be endured. There will be strain, labor and no rest. Ultimately all this is vanity! It will not have served you well in the end, whatever is at the center of our dealings/occupation that isn’t of God. It is as if The Ecclesiastes is asking us: “Have you enjoyed it? All this that is going on around you. How can anyone enjoy it? So much ungodly talk, so much ungodly ideas thrown around. You okay with it? Nothing beats the joy of seeking God’s wisdom and knowledge. Let this be a path for us in the midst of current chaos. Seek God in prayer by faith; He will direct your path.
The pursuit of truth within us and around us should bring us closer to God. What are these insane pictures I see out there represent deep in my inner life? Is there some nastiness within me and my heart that need to be discarded? We can condemn all the nastiness in the world, but it is difficult to condemn the nastiness within. We may really want to wiggle ourselves out of it saying it is not the same. But that’s where Jesus tells us that if we hate our brother, we are murdering him our hearts, so we are guilty of murder.
All this evil in the world is a testimony of how unlike the Kingdom of God this world is. IT does not live by the truth. It is not interested in the truth; it is interested in winning no matter what cost. But YOU, live by the truth. Today we remember the martyrs of Lyon in France. They lived by the truth, and the world did not like it: They were excluded from public life, from all public events, they were attacked and their homes were vandalized. The Roman Government took them in for questioning, they were accused for what they did not do, they were charged for other crimes they did not commit. They were tortured and hated by the whole city. What song did they sing as they succumbed to fatal injuries? What song should we be singing in this country. Jesus tells us that in Him We are one. If one of us suffers we all suffer and He, Christ, the head of the Church also suffers. I was shocked to the core when I learned more about the deaths of early Christian martyrs. They died happy, smiling in some cases. What made them act that way in the face of grave injuries to human life and serious injustice? Something in them was alive and enabling them to see spiritually beyond the wall of this world. Nero was perplexed, listening to them singing their last song on earth full of joy as they burnt to death.
Believers do have a different song: It is a song of heaven, full of the promises of God. It is a happy song even when the life experiences are sad. It is a song full of the joys of the Kingdom of God where none or nothing will ever hurt them again.
Be blessed today and sing a new song to the Lord!

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