A Song of Experience

One of the many job responsibilities that I regularly juggle is being the choir director at my church. Last fall I began to miss the years I spent singing in choral groups at previous churches and so I asked a few friends if they would like to get together and learn a few pieces. We made an announcement at church and before I realized it about 20 people wanted to join! It is difficult for that many to sing together without a director so I became it by default. It’s been a fun experience – one that I am doing my best at considering I have no formal training – and already we have sung seven pieces.

This last Friday at rehearsal the Lord taught me a beautiful lesson. The piece we planned to sing, “You Are the Light,” was quite technical with its dynamics, crescendos, chord structures, key changes, besides being sung acapella. In previous practices, the choir struggled so much in learning this piece that I began to have serious doubts about singing it this Sabbath. Friday afternoon I prayed that God would help me to help them because I wanted a song that would honor Him – not one that turned out to be a disaster! I felt the assurance that He would. At rehearsal I focused on sectional practices, and when it was all put together I could not believe the difference made. I told the choir I could give them all one BIG hug I was so happy!!! It sounded beautiful. After we sang on Sabbath many told us how lovely it was.

This whole incident reminded me that each of us is learning a song that one day we will sing in Heaven. Revelation calls it the song of Moses and the Lamb. It is a song that we have learned from the trials of our experience on this earth.

“In the full light of day, and in hearing of the music of other voices, the caged bird will not sing the song that his master seeks to teach him. He learns a snatch of this, a trill of that, but never a separate and entire melody. But the master covers the cage, and places it where the bird will listen to the one song he is to sing. In the dark, he tries and tries again to sing that song until it is learned, and he breaks forth in perfect melody. Then the bird is brought forth, and ever after he can sing that song in the light. Thus God deals with His children. He has a song to teach us, and when we have learned it amid the shadows of affliction we can sing it ever afterward.” Ministry of Healing, p. 472.

Sometimes it feels like we will never learn the song. It takes so much practice and work and we stumble again and again. But if we persevere in prayer, the Holy Spirit will teach us that song accomplishing the impossible in us. Then the praise of our heart will be: “He hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord.” Psalm 40:3.

I want to learn that song. How about you?

Now for a video clip of the song we sang …