Sing Loudly This Christmas
Built to Boast
C.S. Lewis once wrote that the world rings with praises. Whether it be our praising of sports teams, hobbies, lovers, foods, pleasures, or sights, we love to praise.
Mankind loves to praise because we were wired to praise. Lewis also portrays Aslan as singing the world into existence as a picture of Genesis 1:1.
Our God is God of happiness and singing (1 Timothy 1:11; cf. Zephaniah 3:17). Everyone exists to glorify God; and the loudest and most often clearest way that we make much of, or magnify, or display our affections, for what we love is by singing.
As Christians, we were designed to sing, even commanded to sing to the Lord (Psalm 95:1-2, 100:1-2; Colossians 3:16).
God’s people are a singing people. Lovers of Christ are identified by their exultation of Christ. You were made to worship Jesus.
Angels We Have Heard on High…Singing!
When the incarnate Son of God entered the world through Mary, how did the angels respond? They who behold the glory of the Triune God for eternity into eternity, who see the infinite excellency of God, sing!
Luke 2:13-14, ESV, “And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, ‘Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!'”
Angels sing! Angels sing of God! Angels sing of the glory of God.
Christmas must be a time of singing because of the greatness of Christ. Singing to the Christian is the natural overflow of a heart that treasures Christ.
If angels sing to God for beholding God, how much more should Christians sing for belonging to God? After all it is “not angels that he helps” but those who are of faith, the offspring of Abraham (Hebrews 2:14-17).
Thomas Watson hit the nail on the head centuries before us: “Praising God is one of the highest and purest acts of religion. In prayer we act like men; in praise we act like angels.”
The Theme of Heaven’s Praises
In heaven, songs fill the land. There is more singing in Revelation than any other book in the Scriptures (apart from Psalms). The consummation of all things culminates in singing. It is only when we rightly love the Lord that our hearts will explode with joy in Him.
Thomas Manton said, “Self-love may lead us to prayers, but love to God excites us to praises.”
This Christmas, sing loudly. Sing with explosive joy for your excellent Redeemer. Christ is worthy of our highest praise. Make every day a day of singing unto the Lord and heaven will befit us more than we could imagine.
Your singing strengthens the weak faith of your brothers and encourages their faith to better believe the heart behind the song.
As the hymn-writer, pastor John Newton said, “When I see Thee as Thou art, I’ll praise Thee as I ought.”
