Wednesday, November 22, 2023  

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Today’s Scripture 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)

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Reflection

This psalm is one of my favorite affirmations of who we are called to be as believers. It provides surety of what God does for us as well as things we can actively do in response to that. Verse three is key. God is God. God made us, and we belong to God. Each of us is one of God’s people and each a sheep in God’s pasture. The enduring love of God will continue to surround each of us for generations to come. Even when we don’t believe it or understand it.

What are we called to do in response? Sing! Make a joyful noise! Be thankful as we enter our places of worship. These are the small acts that remind each of us that we belong. One of my mentors was fond of saying, “You can’t think your way into a way of acting. You must act your way into new ways of thinking.”

I am blessed to work with several high school choirs each year as a clinician. In almost every case there are individuals who are afraid to sing. They fear that they will “stick out” or “be heard.” After a few exercises that focus students on themselves rather than the group, their tone begins to open up and each becomes a bit more secure in the production of sound, because each is only thinking about their individual production. Taking simple but individual actions. The fear of sticking out hasn’t gone away; it has simply been set aside for a bit.

Such is the case with our faith journey. How often are we afraid to make a joyful noise to the Lord, whether through singing or through speaking? Sometimes we simply need to act our way into the life God has in store for us. As we focus on our patterns of behavior, the simple actions we can take in response to God’s steadfast love, perhaps our life will fill up in the same way that the insecure singer’s tone does.

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Prayer
Great and loving God, remind me of the small acts of joyful noise I can make. Help me to enter your gates daily with thanksgiving, even when I feel weak or unable to do so. To the glory of your holy kingdom. Amen.

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Written by Robert Sinclair, Member of Fourth Presbyterian Church

Reflection and Prayer © Fourth Presbyterian Church

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