In that day you will say: “I will praise you, Lord. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me.2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The Lord, the Lord himself, is my strength and my defense[a]; he has become my salvation.”3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
4 In that day you will say:“Give praise to the Lord, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.5 Sing to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world. 6 Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.” - Isaiah 12
Have you ever met a person who doesn't love music? Me either. No matter where you live or what you believe, everyone possesses the need for music and song. I've long believed that for every moment in life there is a song, and I'm pretty sure Van Morrison and Brian Wilson wrote all of them. Whether about love or pain, music is there to tell our story. Ever since the loss of Marcus and others, there have been moments when I couldn't hear the music, times when I couldn't sing the song.
This week I came across Isaiah 12 and I believe it was written precisely so that the music might keep playing while we keep singing. For no matter how great the loss, Isaiah 12 proclaims that the believer always has a song to sing. A song, according to Isaiah 12, that goes on endlessly about all that God has done for us. While I most certainly experience bad days on occasion, I want to resist seeing any of those as my worst day.
The more my relationship with God grows and evolves, the more I understand that my worst day would be the day God gave up on me and left me for good. However, Isaiah 12 declares that my worst day will never come thanks only to God's grace choosing to deny a right to vengeance for the sake of my salvation. According to Isaiah 12, this amazing grace always gives me a song to sing about a God who I can trust to be my comfort and strength. Ultimately, Isaiah 12 finds that it is one's trust in God that drives out all fear.
While our song to God is deeply personal, Isaiah 12 encourages us to share our song with the world as well. It is through our sonic witness that a desire in others to know God can begin to stir. In a world where far too often one hears about what Satan is doing, Isaiah 12 wants our song about what God has done to reach every corner of the earth. Whether good or bad, our circumstances must not keep us from singing longer and louder so that God's name might be lifted up high above our own.
But what should the verses of our song be about? Whether it be setting the stars in place or making our heart beat for the first time, Isaiah 12 suggests a good opening verse could tell of His wonderful works. As for the chorus, Isaiah 12 recommends making mention of the undeniable truth that God makes joy possible. And when we are in need of a refrain, Isaiah 12 suggests referring to the incredible reality that God has chosen not to stay away, but to be among us.
I'm not sure if you can hear the music right now, nor do I know if you've stopped singing. What I do know is that if I take time to comprehend God's grace, understand the joy He makes possible, and realize that God is right next to me; then I will always find a reason to sing. And despite times when my heart is lonely, I can take my song into God's presence trusting I will be blessed with the sound of music and know I'll sing once more.
CJE