Today’s Scripture: Psalm 96:1-13

1 O sing to the Lord a new song;
 sing to the Lord, all the earth.
 2 Sing to the Lord, bless his name;
 tell of his salvation from day to day.  (NRSV)

Artwork by Josh Evans

Music has been a part of my life for as long as I can remember. Piano, singing, theater-all have shaped the person who I am today. Music speaks to the very core of my being, allowing me to fully be the person God has created me to be. But it wasn’t too long ago that I found myself without a song to sing, without a note to hum. This was largely in part of the major transitions that have occurred in my life over the last two years. In the past when things got tough, I still had my music to lean on, to give me strength and guidance to help me through those dark hours. But lately, the music has fallen silent and it has been hard for me to find my voice. Will I ever find it again?

What if I am trying to sing an old song to a tune that doesn’t make sense anymore? What if the words of my song are no longer relevant? What if it is time to sing a new song, making way for more exciting and wonderful things to occur?

But I cannot even begin to learn this new song if I don’t first acknowledge the composer of this piece. As the psalmist says, God is worthy to be praised, and it is God who has given me a voice, who has given me the ability to be all I can be. It is now my turn to take this song and have the performance of a lifetime.

This Advent season, as we await the birth of the Christ child, let us all find our voices, and maybe even learn a new song or two that will allow us to bring the Kingdom of God here to earth as it is in heaven.