“God’s Songs”
“The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17
I have a terrible singing voice. I mean it is bad. It is so bad that I feel sorry for anyone who has to listen to me singing. When my oldest daughter was born, my ineptitude at singing weighed heavier on me. Not only did I sing poorly, but I knew hardly any lullabies or children’s songs. Wanting to be the “perfect” mommy, I rocked and sang to my daughter anyway. Luckily, she was born shortly after Christmas, and so I sang the few children’s songs I knew, and lots of Christmas carols. I also sang the hymns I had learned growing up in church. My daughter didn’t seem to mind my poor singing voice. In fact, as she got older, I remember pushing her in a cart through Target while she sang boldly with her precious (and much prettier) voice the great hymn, “Amazing Grace.”
My youngest daughter was born shortly after Christmas, as well. I eagerly rocked and sang to her, too. There were the usual children’s songs (by now I had added to my repertoire), Christmas carols, and, of course, the beloved hymns. One night, shortly after she had turned one, I was rocking and lovingly singing to her with my monotone, cracking voice. It must have been particularly bad that night. My darling daughter put both hands over her ears to block out the sound. She did that several times over the course of that year, covering her ears as I sang lullabies to her.
What was my response to my daughter when she covered her ears? I can’t deny that my feelings weren’t hurt a bit. At the same time, I had great compassion for her. I knew how bad my singing was. I laughed softly to myself at my adorable daughter and thought, “if she only knew how much love was contained in her mommy’s poor singing voice!” I kept singing anyway.
It makes me wonder. How often do I cover my ears with my hands to block out the songs that my loving Father in Heaven sings over me? How often do I reject His perfect love and compassion? How often do I reject His delight in me? How do I reject His love, compassion, and delight in me? It is when I question His love for me or I think that I have to be “good enough” and so try to earn what He freely gives. It is when I blame God and am angry and bitter at what God allows in my life, instead of trusting in His goodness and His promise to never leave me nor forsake me. It is when I see myself as anything other than a beloved and treasured child of God. It saddens me to know that I have rejected such wonderful, loving, perfect gifts from such a wonderful, loving, perfect Father. How many gifts of God’s songs have you rejected?
I believe it makes God sad, too, when we reject His songs that He sings over us, but I know in His merciful, perfect love He keeps singing over each one of us anyway. As a loving mother holds and sings tender words of love over her child, so our God, our Abba, our Daddy, wants to hold you in His loving arms and sing over you. Put your hands down, uncover your ears, close your eyes, and listen with your heart to the song of Love He sings over you.
Father,
Thank You for the lavish love You have poured over me. Forgive me for those times I have rejected the miraculous gift of Your love. Hold me in Your loving arms, Lord, and sing over me. Let Your love wash over me.
In Your son, Jesus,’ precious name, Amen.
