05/26/2022
How many blessings are we given by our Heavenly Father that aren’t immediately obvious to us? How is it that we receive them without their showing themselves beforehand? So often we are thirsty in some way, and the Lord tells us to begin digging a well, and not only to dig with our hands, or by laboring over a hoe, or a shovel, but to dig with the instruments, and implements, of our faith. In such moments God goes even further by telling us to sing as we labor; not to Him, but to that thing He has told us to do, that will bring forth what will come from Him. We are told to sing to the wells we have been told to dig, and the gifts that God is preparing to give us in our lives?
“And from there they continued to Beer; that is the well of which the Lord said to Moses, “Gather the people together, so that I may give them water.” Then Israel sang this song: “Spring up, O well!—Sing to it!—”
Numbers 21:16-17 ESV
Listening to the lyrics of psalms, hymns, and spirituals we find that some of them praise and glorify God as we sing, but in others we sing to the blessings we desire, or that we are being given, like Joy. How do you sing, is it because you are joyous, or for God to give you joy? What does it mean to “sing for joy?”
“But let all who take refuge in you rejoice; let them ever sing for joy, and spread your protection over them, that those who love your name may exult in you.”
Psalm 5:11 ESV
I often tell a story about my father, and how he would whistle cheerfully every morning. I talk about asking him how he could be so dang happy every morning, and his response to me… “I’m not, I am convincing myself!” Well that is exactly what we should do as believers, we should sing to what God has promised us. My father said he was convincing himself, but in reality we are trusting in the coning blessing. We are singing to that thing his hand is about to hand to us.
“Finally, brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me—practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you.”
Philippians 4:8-9 ESV
So, how are we singing today? Are we singing in the assurance that God is about to bless us? Are we singing to the well, the blessing to come; that thing we are laboring over? Or, are we singing joyfully in thanksgiving for what we have already been given? In other words… Are we singing hymns of anticipation, spirituals like slaves or servants who labor, or the psalms of praise and thanksgiving of those who have already been blessed? Today let’s whistle like my father in anticipation, and trust that we will be blessed as a result.
“The Lord will command the blessing on you in your barns and in all that you undertake. And he will bless you in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.”
Deuteronomy 28:8 ESV
Prayer:
Father, thank you for your many blessings, those that have been given, those that we are receiving now, and those that are yet to come. Praised be your name as we sing to you, and to the goodness of your provision. Holy, Holy, Holy, are you our God from whom all blessings flow, and by whose merciful hand your Son was sent to redeem us. Your grace is sufficient Lord, and is the ultimate blessing that we receive because it humbles us in your presence, and keeps our pride and arrogance from undoing us. Wash us in the blood of Christ, and forgive us our every sin so that we can stand before you without shame. This is our prayer, for the well of our faith we dig, and our obedience to you that will soon become our thanksgiving as we quench our thirst with the living water that will flow forth eternally from it.
Rich Forbes