For Whom Are You Singing? 

I like to read a good novel.  I have a lot of favorites.  Reading a novel is relaxing and refreshing for me.  Every once in a while I come across something said by one of the characters that I find thought provoking.

Recently in the book I was reading the main character is frequently called upon to sing for audiences.  She doesn't enjoy doing so and is very nervous, especially in front of a large audience.  However, she has been blessed with a lovely voice and the ability to give pleasure through her singing.  

As she was sharing her feelings with another character in the book, he asked her who she was singing for.  He told her that since God created her and gave her the voice she had, he enjoyed hearing her sing.  He encouraged her to sing for an audience of One.

This interaction got me thinking.  I have heard many Christians say they do not enjoy praising God through song because they have what they consider to be poor quality voices.  

Consider what God said to Moses at the burning bush: 

"But Moses said to the LORD, “Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, either in the past or since you have spoken to your servant, but I am slow of speech and of tongue.” Then the LORD said to him, “Who has made man’s mouth? Who makes him mute, or deaf, or seeing, or blind? Is it not I, the LORD?"  Exodus 4:10-11 (ESV)

Moses didn't think much of his speaking ability but God tells him that he is just as God made him.  God takes pleasure in hearing us speak or sing or in seeing us serve just for Him.  

Next time you are tempted to look around and see if anyone is listening to your feeble attempts to praise God in song, remember that you are singing for an audience of one.

When you feel like you can only do something small for the Lord in comparison to what others around you do, remember that you are serving an audience of One.  

We must always strive to give and do our best for our master and we should continually try to improve.  He created us, gave us our voices and abilities and knows what we are capable of.  Let's always joyfully do our best for our audience of One.  He enjoys hearing us!

 NOXIOUS WEEDS

One of the things we really enjoy in Southern Africa is seeing the vibrantly beautiful jacaranda

trees in bloom.  Driving along and seeing those bright spots of vivid, indescribable purple/blue on the hillsides is a highlight of that season.  The trees give lovely shade and provide nesting places for all kinds of birds.  They seem perfect and wonderful.

When we lived in Namibia we had some very large Lantana plants in our yard.  I remember going with my mother to the plant nursery in the spring and purchasing lantana to put in the flower beds.  We loved them and there they were growing wild in Namibia!  I really enjoyed them.

Lantana in our backyard 

What do these two plants have in common?  In South Africa they are considered noxious weeds and you can be fined for planting them.  The Jacaranda has limited areas where it can be planted but outside of those areas it is a big no!  

Another thing they have in common is that they are beautiful.  To us they seem like wonderful parts of God's creation which were created for us to enjoy.  However, they are truly pests and difficult to eradicate once established.

As I was thinking about this I realized that there is a spiritual lesson here for us.  

"How can something that feels so right be wrong?"  "If it feels good, do it."  "If it seems right to you, it can't be wrong."  Common phrases or attitudes in our world today.  Many attitudes and activities seem so beautiful to human beings but they become noxious weeds when planted where they do not belong.  

Jesus takes the planting of those noxious weeds seriously.  In Matthew 18:7-9 he says:

“Woe to the world for temptations to sin! For it is necessary that temptations come, but woe to the one by whom the temptation comes!  And if your hand or your foot causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life crippled or lame than with two hands or two feet to be thrown into the eternal fire.  And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out and throw it away. It is better for you to enter life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire.

What about the weeds of complacency, pride, arrogance?  Remember the Pharisee?  He was thankful he wasn't like the tax collector.  Watch out for the noxious weed of the Pharisee's attitude.  What about the rich, young ruler who tried to justify himself?  Noxious weeds are everywhere.  Don't plant them.

We have to be willing to uproot those weeds in our lives.  As any gardener can tell you weeds are adaptable and persistent.  It is an ongoing process to keep the garden weed free.  The same thing is true of our lives.