SING A SONG OF GLADNESS

I used to sing in the grammar school chorus.Then I took a break from singing, and one day as an adult, I realized how much I missed singing with others. So many, many years later, I decided to sing Easter music with the choir at our church.

Some people give things up for Lent to remember Christ giving up His life for us, and some people do something extra. In a way I did both: I gave my time, and I joined the choir. I told myself that if after Easter I didn't like it or feel comfortable, I could stop going.

I found that I liked being part of a group, with others who were stronger singers around me. I also was progressing in my spiritual walk with Christ. There came a time when I felt the Lord nudging me to sing a solo at a weekend retreat. I wasn't very receptive to the idea at first, but when God wants you to do something, the thought keeps resurfacing and bugging you. So I made this deal with God -- I would practice very hard and sing in front of all those people, and He would have me sing every note in tune. Not a bad bargain, I thought, since there were one or two notes that I didn't hit on a consistent basis.

So I practiced and prayed for peace and to sing a beautiful song for and to the Lord. When I was finished my performance, I was very disappointed, because those two notes had given me trouble, and I didn't sing them in tune. I wondered why God didn't keep His end of the bargain.

Lots of people told me how much the song had meant to them and how they would never have gotten in front of people to sing like I just had. I was still frustrated, because I wanted to sing a perfect song. Just then God said to me, "I didn't ask you to sing a perfect song, just to sing." I had missed the point and was thinking about me. I'm glad that I followed God's prompting, because I would have missed the lesson. God asks us to follow what He wants us to do and that doesn't always mean a perfect job. My singing blessed others, because He wanted them to be blessed. The impact wasn't lessened because I sang a few wrong notes. Maybe by not doing a perfect job, others are more willing to step out in faith too.

Now my prayer often is for God to bless the outcome, not necessarily the performance. So even if you don't sing every note in tune, sing for the Lord, because He doesn't ask us to sing a perfect song, just to sing! I'm still singing, and I hope you do too.

— Elaine Woodward

Courtesy of The Church of the Good Shepherd United Methodist