Keep Singing
Acts 16:25
"About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them, and suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken. And immediately all the doors were opened, and everyone’s bonds were unfastened."
I’ve been singing in church my entire life. My mom, who will be 90 this year, was a gifted church organ, whose gift of music included playing the piano by ear. Imagine each year at Christmastime, our family gathered around the piano singing Christmas carols in 4- part harmony, as my mom easily transitioned seamlessly from one hymn or Christmas carol to another. Too high or too low, she would automatically change the key, easily filling the room with arpeggiated chords to accompany our voices.
Singing was a family tradition. My grandmother’s family entertained each other and worshiped for family gatherings. My grandmother was the youngest of twelve children, all who were spiritual giants in my life- pastors, ministers, musicians and missionaries- all solid rocks of faith, who sang and prayed together.
Singing was not a time of entertainment for my ancestors, they sang hymns and worshiped. Even for my generation, on Sunday afternoons, my grandfather, who came every Sunday for dinner, would ask my sisters and I to sing hymns with him while my mom played. For him, I think it was an extension of Sunday morning worship. His favorite hymn was, “Be Thou My Vision.” I cannot sing that song without remembering these special musical times in my family.
In the scripture passage from Kyle's sermon on Sunday, the singing and worship of Paul and Silas brings a profound and extreme response to their prayers that shakes the earth and miraculously frees them. This kind of powerful move of the Spirit seems beyond our capacity to experience.
The very idea of singing and worship being a powerful means of spiritual movement has certainly been an experience of my life growing up that has consistently been true of my life in every season. Worship music has soothed my soul on sleepless nights, brought healing to my wounded heart and continually covers me with the tangible presence of God that brings a sweet peace that I am wordless to explain, and yet, can I truly begin to fathom the possibility that today, our ardent prayers of singing and worship could manifest such a powerful response from God? We believe it is possible but not probably, NOT probable in our lives. Why is that?
Somewhere in my life journey, after attending musical school and delving much deeper into the art of singing in church for decades, I suddenly realized that I misplaced the heart of worship when singing in church as it slipped into performance. Faded was the little girl that would spin around the church singing at the top of my lungs. Blurred in my memory was the youth group song leader that would close my eyes and just sing my heart out to God. Caught up in the proper linguistics of music, I forgot how to simply worship.
When I visited my twin sister in Idaho, I had glimpses of my worshiping heart. You see, she remained uninhibited. It is not unusual to see her dancing & spinning in her church. As for me, I was always the more reserved and measured twin. I felt so self-conscious in that environment that I was almost frozen. I was wanting to resurrect my worshiping heart, but afraid to even just lift my hands.
Then I came to Regen. I feel the Spirit tingling over me during the services-almost visibly and tangibly present. We have a pastor that encourages and gently challenges us to enter worship,, and maybe we could even lift our hands if so led. I may not be ready to dance and spin in the sanctuary, but I feel new spiritual freedom in my heart, my voice and my hands that continues to give me a sweet glimpse into the heart of God and a spiritual place of peace to hear God. Thank you!
I do not think we can begin to understand how sweet and beautiful our combined praise-filled lifted voices of worship are to our heavenly Father, who waits to powerfully answer our prayers with miraculous majesty.
My prayer for you and for me is to find the spiritual freedom that allows our worship time together to be one that takes us to the very heart of God.
Have a great rest of the week and keep singing!
-Kay
Kay Suzelis and her husband Len live in Lake Milton, and Kay serves as the Intermediate School Principal for the LaBrae Local School District.
