Sing Together (July 28, 2023)

 My youngest son & I were on a longer drive together & I asked, “What music do you want to listen to? You choose!”

He chose one of his self-created Amazon Music playlists he named “My Happy Songs.” 😁

And among all the random music any 9-year-old would enjoy, “O Savior, Thou Who Wearest a Crown” came on. Kinda took me off guard! And then “Come Unto Jesus.” It was such a surprising change of pace! I loved the spirit those songs brought when they popped up in an otherwise secular selection of songs!

I was curious. “What made you put these songs on your playlist? How do you even know these songs?”

My son said he just heard them & liked them & decided to add them to his happy playlist!

When Paul & Silas are unjustly beaten & thrown into prison, they did what any normal person would do: “And at midnight Paul & Silas prayed, & sang praises unto God” (Acts 16:25)

Um, what?

Prayed? Sang praises unto God?!

With their “many stripes” upon their backs & “their feet fast in the stocks”?

Yeah, totally normal… 😉

Why on earth did they sing??

Because they knew they weren’t alone? Because they knew no matter what happened, God was on their side? Because they found comfort in turning to Him? Because their external circumstances didn’t dictate their faith?

I don’t know why… but I do know: “and the prisoners heard them.”

And THEN a miracle- through the power of God the ground shook, the prisoners’ bands were loosed, the jailer was terrified, then taught the gospel by Paul & Silas, & he & his household are converted!

Wow!!! Converting the jailer… definitely a plot twist!

Surely the whole ground shaking thing made an impact on him… but even before that… he & the prisoners heard the testimonies of Paul & Silas through song! In the most unlikely of places & situation.

They heard Jesus songs in an otherwise secular place.

Maybe in our busy playlist of life, we could slide in a couple of Jesus songs. They might play just when we need them most.

They might play just when OTHERS need them most.

Sing praises!

You never know who’s listening.🎶

“Break forth into joy, sing together, ye waste places of Jerusalem: for the Lord hath comforted his people. …” (Isa. 52:8–9.)