Lent: Day Eighteen

Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth; break forth into joyous song and sing praises. - Psalm 98:4
 
What do the letters E, A, and D have in common? You’re probably thinking they’re three letters in the alphabet. 

But if you’re a musician, they’re more than just letters. They are the keys to unlocking some of the greatest songs ever, like the hit song “Wild Thing.”  
 
The guitar only has seven major chords, yet there are over 15,000 ways to play them all.  Luckily you don’t have to know everything in it before you can play. As we’ve learned, a little bit can do a lot.

​To quote Willie Nelson, the great country legend, “All you need to write a song is three chords and the truth."
 
I reckon the same could be said about understanding your spiritual journey: All you need is the Divine Trinity and the truth. Given all the great Psalms and gospel music that has been created over the centuries, you don’t have to be a great musician to know that when you have a trio like the Creator, Savior, and Spirit backing you, the songs just write itself. 
 
God the Creator, the composer and conductor of our life, gave us a creative mandate: “Be fruitful and multiply, fill the world and subdue it” (Gen. 1:28). The Creator tells us to create our own songs with chords we’ve been given. They can be simple or complex. The only requirement is you have to ready to play them when asked. 
 
God the Savior is the melody and the impossible-to-forget hook that makes the song stand out. It catches the attention of the listeners, and can cause spontaneous eruption of praise. The hook is often the shortest, yet sweetest part of your song. It has the power to transform your creation into a timeless classic; ensuring you spend your life on the eternal b-side.
 
God the Spirit is the very soul and emotion of the song. It is the one thing that connects the singer to the music. The Spirit brings your music to life and carries your song to where it needs to go. It can’t be seen, but you know it’s there. It comes up from deep within your soul. It moves and grooves in you.  Without it, your song can only go so far.
 
I hope that you use the coming days and weeks left in Lent to stretch yourself – bending and plucking and strumming along with the Spirit. At first it might sound like you’re just making noise. But the more you practice the better you become. Your spiritual life becomes more in tune with the great harmonious songs of truth.
 
It could be the blues one day, a harmonious choral the next. It could be bright and jazzy, or calm and folksy. Maybe a little reggae or something inspired from south of the border. Maybe your song will be a little of everything, all mashed up to create your own Wild Thing. Whatever it is for you, play it, sing it, feel it- tune into the sound of God within you and make a joyful noise unto the Lord.
 
Prayer: Lord God, Creator, Savior, and Spirit, make me an instrument of your peace. Play with me, sing with me, and lets make a joyful noise today and always. Amen.

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