“Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth. Worship the Lord with gladness; come before him with joyful songs.” Psalms 100:1-2

The Lord loves, and desires to hear, our joyful sounds and praises. He created us with the ability to express ourselves through sounds and music. This is true across peoples, places and cultures. I have found an appreciation for music in every country I have visited. Some may even describe specific cultures by their music. Music is a joyous and beautiful moment where people can come together as one. Singing is a great way to bond with people and to communicate with each other. Whether you understand the words or not, something about singing praises to the Lord transcends all understanding.

A personal highlight of this lesson happened while I was working at a care-point in Eswatini. Care-points are ministry locations across the country where kids can go after school to receive food and fellowship. I noticed it was difficult relating to the kids I was working with. I have lived a life very different from how they live in many, many ways. I also didn't speak the same language, so any possible conversational connection was lost. I thought, "how can I love them well?" As I sat with these amazing kids, I remembered a Saswati worship song that was taught to my team the first week we were in Eswatini. So, as the Holy Spirit prompted, I began to sing this beautiful song. Now, I will have you know I am not a great singer but that’s not the point. The point was to meet these kids where they were, in their language, and show the love and care the Lord has for them. They loved the song! They knew it and began singing along with me. It was such an incredible moment.

What a gift music is! It’s such an amazing tool to use to meet people where they are, to connect, and to bring joy and light to any situation. Thank you, Lord, for the amazing gift of joyful songs.