One of our Dayton people was known for singing praises to the Lord not only at church but while working, driving through town with his window open, on the lawn mower, and at all kinds of times and places. His enthusiasm was so full and his voice was so strong that you could hear him singing above the loud motor noise of the riding lawn mower. He knew in his heart the joy of the Lord as he sang praises.
God’s Word teaches that in being filled with the Spirit we are to be “speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” Eph. 5:18-20.
One of the hymns we sing (Draw Me Nearer) has these lyrics: “Oh the pure delight of a single hour; That before Thy throne I spend; When I kneel in prayer, and with Thee, My God; I commune as friend with friend!”
Fanny Crosby wrote these lyrics from the rapturous experience of personal communion with the Lord even though she was blind.
Such rapture was expressed through the praises of the multitude as Jesus entered Jerusalem. He said that if the crowd was silent the very rocks would cry out! We have the opportunity to commune personally with the Lord each and every moment of our day. Such communion is something to really sing about!
Pastor Greg Brownell
United Brethren Church
Dayton