Thursday, May 7, 2015

Today’s Reading  |  Psalm 100

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.
     Worship the Lord with gladness;
     come into his presence with singing.

Know that the Lord is God.
     It is he that made us, and we are his;
     we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving,
     and his courts with praise.
     Give thanks to him, bless his name.

For the Lord is good;
     his steadfast love endures forever,
     and his faithfulness to all generations. (NRSV)

Reflection
I once went to a coffee shop, looking for a peaceful place to do some reading. I had only read a few pages when a mother came in with her young son. While the mother sipped her coffee, the boy played with some toys. This kid was having a grand ol’ time—at the top of his lungs! I mean he was giving it everything he had. I looked at the woman, dumbfounded because she wasn’t shushing the boy. It appeared that not only did the noise not seem to bother her, but she had a smile on her face as she watched him. Trust me, only a parent could enjoy that!

I was reminded of a time when a friend was singing a praise song. Her voice was terrible, and she knew it. She said, “God gave me this voice, and I’m going to give it right back to him.”

I think she had it exactly right. As God’s creation, we have the privilege of praising God with our own joyful noise. Noise can be different for each of us. For some it is singing, and for some it is the way we treat others or the excellence we strive for in our work. Our joyful noise does not need to look or sound like everybody else’s, and nor does it need to be perfect. I think God simply wants to be worshiped with everything we’ve got and with all the uniqueness we were created with. After all, a parent enjoys their child’s joyful noise!

Prayer
God, you are so loving and faithful. With gladness and thanksgiving, I pray that you remind me that I am yours, and guide me to delight you with everything that you created me to be. Amen.

Written by Stacy Jackson, Executive Director of Chicago Lights

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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