Sing aloud, O daughter Zion; shout, O Israel! Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter Jerusalem! vs. 14
Zephaniah 3:14-16
Pressed in by powerful enemies on every side the people of Jerusalem didn’t have much to rejoice about in the days of Zephaniah. But they had a good and righteous king, Josiah, on the throne and some felt that he provided a measure of hope. The prophet agreed and said that even though the Day of the Lord still loomed, for the moment it appeared that destruction had been avoided. Now was a time for rejoicing, for singing aloud to the Lord who had not abandoned them and had brought relief. That’s how some of us feel now. These last two years have been hard, but now there are signs of hope, and we’re glad for the opportunity that Advent gives for singing aloud with all our heart. And even though some of the holiday songs we’re hearing from Pandora are pretty cheesy and shallow, there’s something in the familiarity of the tunes that gives a spring to our step and even lifts our spirits. Even better are the concerts that are popping up in our churches and those put on by various chorale groups. The happy voices and smiling faces are a reminder that God dwells among us and even joins in the singing. And even though many are still wearing masks at worship it just feels good to belt out old favorites, especially since we know our off-notes will be muffled by the fabric.
Thought for the Day: Why is singing so important?
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