“… come before his presence with singing” (Psalm 100:2).
Have you received an invitation to a place you would really like to go? The invitation brings joy. Your level of anticipation increases. Your desire to go to such a place excites you.
Certainly, you would share the news with your friends. It is likely you would bring something with you to honor the host of the event. If it were a party to which you were invited, you would bring a gift. Your gift is a way of expressing your appreciation for the invitation, the inclusion in the event, and for the interest they had in you.
In our focus verse today, we see the divine invitation to come to the very presence of God. His invitation should make our hearts race. The anticipation should be overwhelming. The joy should be difficult to contain.
The very Lord of Glory has taken an interest in us. He desires our presence. He has issued to us an invitation. He wants to include us.
Your mind races. What can I bring to He who has everything? He owns cattle on a thousand hills. The earth is His footstool. What could I give Him as a servant of the Lord? What is it that He desires?
Dear Reader, what can we bring? Our gracious Host suggested we bring one thing. He wants to hear us sing.
What is that I hear you say? “Singing? That is so simple. Certainly, I can find something more special than that!” God would like us to come to Him with singing.
Consider this, God has angels who can sing before Him, but He asks for my song. God can choose any singer from any era that ever lived, but He wants to hear His children’s song.
God’s request for me to come before His presence with singing reminds me of seeing a mother and father at a school performance as they await their five-year-old child’s performance. The parents lean forward as their child’s voice joins a chorus of voices. The parents whisper to each other, “I can hear her! Just listen to her angelic voice! It is beautiful.” Truthfully, the child’s voice is mediocre. Her voice struggles with the tune. Her pitch is off, and harmony is absent. Yet, her parents beam with joy. Their little darling is singing. The young girl looks out and sees the pleasure of her parents. Their pleasure in her causes her to sing with more enthusiasm as she realizes her song pleases her mother and father.
Reading this phrase indicates to me that God, like the five-year-old girl’s parents, must enjoy when we come to our place of worship with singing. You may despise the sound of your voice, but He does not. He loves to hear you sing. Like the five-year-old girl’s parents were pleased, our singing pleases our Father.
You say, “What song shall I sing?” The song choice is yours. Even now, choose a song you will sing to Him. Your quality of voice is not the point. Your song is what He wants to hear.
Go to His presence right now. Lift up a song to Him. Remember He desires we come into His presence with singing. Bring Him His gift today.