“Shout to God with cries of joy." ~ Psalm
47:1
On a sunlit spring day, the sky
held a soft blue glow. Tara eyed flowers
yet to color her world for warmer days coming, waving in the breeze like a pleasant
smile in brilliant shades.
Tara sat on a cool rock overlooking the valley allowing the
stress to leak from her bones. Final exams over
forever, she savored the moment, hoping this feeling would never end. For the first time in 4 years, her body and
mind relaxed; no expectations, no deadlines and no schedules to meet. With her mind’s mental clutter on hold, she sensed
everything more clearly.
Tara heard a symphony of fresh melodies: rushing wind through
scented pines; two and four-legged creatures welcoming new birth; a swollen
stream crashing over random boulders – all witness to God’s majesty. It got her thinking, “What IS the world’s most beautiful sound?”
Could it simply be just taking
time to listen and enjoy in your own carefree happiness? Or maybe it’s the laughter of children playing
without care until tomorrow brings another sunny day.
Sometimes just savoring her boyfriend’s
warmth while he gently hugs her close enough to hear her heart’s contentment
was more than enough. Perhaps even a
chorus of melodious voices overlaying a Wagnerian orchestra that cradle every
bit of your being in its embrace.
Maybe the best sounds symbolize life, like her puppy’s
heartbeat, or something more abstract like rainfall on the metal roof of her
childhood cabin? Sounds are some of the
trickier fragments of memories, at times instantly recognized (the hook of a
song half-remembered); others lost when our recollections dim.
Of course, Tara’s list could go on as she thought about all
noises experienced in a day: the hopeful bubbling of a coffee machine, the crisp
echo of a new book’s pages, a restless wind just before a thunderstorm. This competition was indeed personal.
Her choice for “most beautiful sound” was one that melts her
heart and energizes her soul. It can’t
be touched, tasted or even seen. It’s
the human voice.
Far from being rendered redundant
by modern technology, the human voice has enormous and enduring significance. Our voices are the personal and social glue
that binds us and makes the most important sounds in our lives.
Your voice is a gift to be used wisely
and intentionally, not just to add noise.
Use them to shape people’s understanding of issues you’re passionate
about. Use them to champion causes, comfort
the suffering, share the Gospel. Use
them to add value to conversations, but also to start new ones. Use them to encourage, respond, embolden,
warn, inspire and teach.
And if you want to hear the sounds that heaven makes, take
the time to turn around and just remember all of God's blessings. You’ll quickly realize they make the loudest
noise.
Father, help me use my voice to bless Your
name and teach others of Your Word.
Allow me to glorify You by boasting of Your goodness and grace. And finally, bless me by the confession my
sins. Amen
