Sing a new song

"singing to the Lord"

2 Chronicles 30:21

Have you had a cold this cold season?  I had one.  About three weeks ago.  Upper respiratory thing.  Throat pain and coughing; you know how it goes, I'm sure.

I was thankful it wasn't worse, symptom-wise, and that it only lasted a week, and that no one else in my family caught it.

The bad news is, I'm still coughing.  Not a lot, but enough to be annoying.  Too much talking, laughing or singing, and I'm off on a coughing fit.  I know it's just part of being sick, but I think it's hard because I feel fine otherwise.  Then when I start coughing, I think Really?  Is this thing still not gone?

So last Sunday, during church, I was wishing I could sing.  I was singing a little, but then I had to go back to just mouthing the words so I wouldn't start coughing.  But mouthing the words just isn't the same.  I definitely think it's still worship.  I'm very aware of the words, and they can become a very sincere prayer, which is good. 

But I was missing being a part of the music.  There's just something about voices joined together that is so beautiful.  Basses and tenors and altos and sopranos, with harmony and instruments.  I was in choirs for a lot of my life, but now, joining in worship at church is as close as I get to a choir, and I was missing being a part of that sound.

Scripture talks a lot about singing.  It's both a privilege and an obligation.  Or a privilege and an expectation.  It is our joy to sing to Him and about Him ~ but it's also almost an automatic expression of our love for Him, and our awe of who He is.  It's a gift that I'm appreciating more than ever! 

~ "The flowers appear on the earth;

      the time of singing has come!" ~

Song of Solomon 2:12