They offered great sacrifices that day and rejoiced, for God had made them rejoice with great joy. . . . And the joy of Jerusalem was heard far away. —Nehemiah 12:43
On a few occasions, I’ve had the privilege of participating in the weekly Tuesday evening prayer meeting at the Brooklyn Tabernacle in New York City. One thing that particularly touched me in those services was the congregational singing—so earnest, uninhibited, and heartfelt.
And no wonder. Many of these men and women have come to Christ out of backgrounds of drug addiction, alcoholism, violent crime, and sexual promiscuity. They know what it means to be enslaved by sin, to be without hope, without Christ. They know what they are singing about. And they sing like they mean it. Because they do.
Discouragement, fear, anxiety, depression, grief—in many cases these will flee as we sing to the Lord. How often I have seen Him lift the dark clouds hanging over my spirit as
I sing to Him, even with quavering voice and emotions—and then quickening my heart and displacing the darkness with the sunlight of His peace and grace.
Make it Personal
Regardless of where life finds you, sing to the Lord. Let Him lift your spirit and overcome Satan’s attempts to pull you down.