Saturday, April 16, 2016

Today’s Reading  |  Psalm 96                 

O sing to the Lord a new song;
   sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
   tell of his salvation from day to day.
Declare his glory among the nations,
   his marvelous works among all the peoples.
For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised;
   he is to be revered above all gods.
For all the gods of the peoples are idols,
   but the Lord made the heavens.
Honor and majesty are before him;
   strength and beauty are in his sanctuary.
Ascribe to the Lord, O families of the peoples,
   ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.
Ascribe to the Lord the glory due his name;
   bring an offering, and come into his courts.
Worship the Lord in holy splendor;
   tremble before him, all the earth.

Say among the nations, “The Lord is king!
   The world is firmly established; it shall never be moved.
   He will judge the peoples with equity.”
Let the heavens be glad, and let the earth rejoice;
   let the sea roar, and all that fills it;
   let the field exult, and everything in it.
Then shall all the trees of the forest sing for joy
   before the Lord; for he is coming,
   for he is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness,
   and the peoples with his truth. (NRSV)

Reflection
Robert Plant once said, “I’m a reflection of what I sing.” Psalm 96’s “Sing to the Lord a new song!”—coming just a few weeks after Easter—is a reminder of the message of our Lenten journey. Lent is a time for new beginnings, a time to blossom and break out in new directions. It ends with the most miraculous new beginning—Jesus’ resurrection. In conquering death, Jesus showed us that we too have a chance for new beginnings—a chance for a new song.

But what song should we sing? Like Robert Plant, the psalmist tells us that our song should come from the heart. It should be one that glorifies, worships, and honors the Lord. One of my favorite parables is the Parable of the Talents (Matthew 25). Its key message: God gave each of us a unique set of skills and talents and we need to put them to use instead of burying them deep inside. Using them is a chance to glorify God.

So what’s your song? Can you effectively manage projects, run a business, or care for others? Is it time to learn a new skill? A recent article I read highlighted the growth in lifelong learning and the increasing number of options to learn new skills to meet new challenges, grow our careers, or pick up a new hobby. We don’t have to look farther than the growth of online courses, boot camps, or career coaches to see that options abound. Maybe now is the time to take that class, go back to school, or take up a new hobby. Maybe it’s as simple as finding a new place to volunteer or a new cause to support.

Today’s psalm is yet another reminder that life is a journey, and God is continually pulling or pushing us in new directions. How will you respond? How will you glorify God with your new song?

Prayer
God of opportunity and new beginnings, help me to discern where you are calling me next. Help me to look deep inside and sing a song that brings joy to my life and to others and, in doing so, glorifies you. Amen.

Written by Mark Nelson, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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