And each morning and evening they stood before the LORD to sing songs of thanks and praise to him.
– 1 Chronicles 23:30
I love to sing, always have! It’s one of my favorite pass-times, and I can’t tell you how very happy it makes me to know that it’s one of God’s favorite things too! With as much as music is a part of my life, I suppose it’s not great surprise that music came to mind today when I was thinking of God’s timing. Specifically, I was thinking of it in relation to tempo.
Keeping time in a song is so important. You can tell if you’re singing in a group, and one or two people are just a couple of split seconds slower or faster than the rest. It makes a discordant sound when this happens. It’s hard to know who to try and follow, the song leader (or conductor) or the person who’s off-tempo. And it always causes me to feel a little stressed, that uneven timing within the natural pace of the song.
I think I’m a lot like that off-tempo singer. Some days I try to rush ahead and speed up the tempo. Just like in a song that seems like it’s being led a bit too slowly, sometimes I feel like if I sing a little louder and a little faster, I can cause the group to speed it up to a tempo that’s more comfortable to me. Other days I feel like the pace of the song is a little too quick, and I’d like to slow it down a bit in order to better appreciate the notes and harmonies going on around me. Maybe just hit the pause button for a second or two.
Either way, I’m causing discord around me. And I’m trying to rip the control from the leader. There’s the rub. See, the thing is, although I do love to sing, I know nothing about song leading or conducting! If the leader did hand over the reins for a song or two, I would have no idea how to discern what the tempo would be…. or for that matter, the tune, the starting pitch…. you get the picture. I’d be in way above my head.
So why do I keep trying to snatch control? It isn’t because I like to cause the discordant notes… no, to the contrary, I love to be a part of a beautiful song that is sung by a cohesive choir. But by trying to lead from within the group, I’m possibly even causing others to try and follow me rather than the true leader.
Today’s scripture is one that reminds me that if the song of my life is to be a beautiful, harmonic, evenly-paced thing of joy to offer to my Lord, I must be willing to follow His timing. Maybe at times it will feel too quick or too slow, but since I am not the leader I need to trust that He knows what is best. I need to ensure that my struggles with the tempo do not distract others around me.
Yes, I surely do love to sing. Thankfully I have the ultimate conductor, the consumate song leader, and the most patient of maestros.
Father, thank you for choosing me. Please help me as I strive to follow only you, and to trust that your timing is never faulty. In Jesus’ Name, Amen…
If you have been helped by this post and think it could be helpful to someone you know, please share this post on the social network of your choice for me.
All you have to do is click one of the buttons below.
May God Bless You,
Shelly
