Have You Written A Song Lately?

Fresh Manna 2009© by Pastor Tim Burt

Eph 5:19-21 “Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ”

How many times has this happened to you? You look up in your rear view mirror or happen to glance over into the car next to you and someone is “rocking out” to some song. At first you’re not positive until you see that no one else is in the care with them and they are just singing away. It always puts a smile on my face. I love when someone is uninhibited about something that is good – especially when it comes to the Lord!

People talk to themselves all the time. We talk to ourselves. We sing to ourselves. We argue or get mad at ourselves. Instead of just talking to myself, I’d rather talk, pray and sing to the Lord – especially in the car or any place that is a place of solitude that gives me alone time with Him. Sometimes I am the only one home. I look out the kitchen window over our back yard and appreciate God’s beauty in nature. I just sing to Him. Since I don’t have many neighbors and no one that lives directly behind me, sometimes I just stand out on my deck and sing to the Lord. Only the Lord would appreciate my singing. He gets an earful when we have alone time in my car! I sing to worship Him but some how it blesses me and lifts me up!

A few years ago I was leading our Men’s Advance the weekend before Thanksgiving. I had all the men take on a spiritual task that I was sure would make them uncomfortable. At the same time, I was confident it would bless them when all was said and done. I asked them to sit down and write a thank you letter to the Lord. I asked them to write a sincere letter from their heart really letting the Lord know how thankful they were for the many things He had done for them. We were all away up at a camp by a lake that was surrounded by a forest. The men all took their tablets, went off by themselves into a place of solitude, and began to write. Before they left, I told them there was one other thing they had to do upon completing the letter to the Lord. They had to create a melody and sing it to the Lord.

I wanted to help them experience what the Psalms are really about. David would sing his heart or love letters to the Lord. That is much of what we se in the Psalms. It did not have to be unique to David. The men actually kept a good attitude and went for it. They were surprised that they had a new, deep, and in most cases quite emotional encounter with God. When the weekend was over, most had shared that it was one of the most powerful and intimate experiences they had ever had with the Lord.

Today’s Fresh Manna verse says “speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ…” Did you catch the words – “speaking to yourselve in psalms and hymns… singing spiritual songs… singing and making melody in your heart TO THE LORD….. giving thanks… Learning to sing your words of thanksgiving to God from your heart can be a continuing and awesome way to share your thanks to the Lord. He is truly worthy of this sacrifice of praise! And, don’t forget this Biblical truth – praise quiets your mind and emotions, it helps you detach from the cares of this world, and stills the voice of the enemy!

I started to make up and sing songs of thanks to the Lord from my heart years ago. Being a song writer is not a goal. Having anyone else ever hear what I sing and write is not a goal. In truth, that would be a distraction. Then I’d be focused on “writing a song” rather than worshiping the Lord and just letting it happen with the help of the Holy Spirit. I sing to the Lord from my heart frequently. The ways in which it draws you close to the Lord and transforms your heart is beyond words! Music is a creation of God to lift the soul. Although Satan has perverted it to take our mind and emotions where they should not go – we can capture God’s creative purpose back. It is truly one of life’s most powerful tools. That is why I am so careful of the music and words I allow in my heart – because of its power – its effect on my soul – my mind and emotions.

You may have not yet discovered the blessing that is inherent in the heart action of praising God – the lifting of your own soul. It’s something you should experience. If feel you are not musical in any way, there are so many sources of godly Christian worship music available. Find one that lifts you up and begin to sing with it. It won’t take long before you see the effect that it has on your own heart – even though it’s directed to the Lord. Don’t’ stop there. Once you feel comfortable singing songs of worship to the Lord – create your own from the heart! It’s powerful!

Why else should we experience it? Because it’s our future destiny anyway! All of God’s children will spend eternity worshipping the King of Glory! Rev 5:9 “And they sang a new song: “You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals, because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation.”

Take a risk. Write down a few reasons why you love the Lord. Then sing it to Him. You’ll be surprised what happens! It will bless Him and it will lift you!