Summer is here at last!
One of the choirs I sing with is a Christian choir made up of people from various churches within Witney. By the time you read this we will have had our summer concert but as I write this, we are still learning the scores. Amongst other songs we are singing is a cantata, called “What Wondrous Hope’ by Joseph Martin, which tells the story of Jesus’s ministry, passion and resurrection. Up until last week I felt my contribution to it was far from wondrous and lacked any hope of being harmonious. I’d been concentrating on getting the notes correct, linking the notes with the words and listening to the music. I had not taken in the words that we were singing. However, last week for me, the goosebump moment happened! We had the music laid down, the harmonies were good, and the best bit was I fully heard the wonderful words that we were singing.
It led me to think how many times I have I failed to hear God speaking to me. Life is busy; the humdrum noise of everyday life overtakes at times. Even though I try to set aside time to tune in to God’s word, it doesn’t always happen. It’s helpful to know that not only does God speak directly to us but also silently through things such as visions, dreams, nature, prayers, music and singing. I am reassured that He doesn’t give up on us even if we get it wrong because like the goosebump moment in choir, the joy and amazement is there to find and behold.
We also sing ‘Joyful, Joyful’ from Sister Act 2, a hip-hop version with rap! It’s adapted from the original lyrics by Henry Van Dyke (1907), also known as The Hymn of Joy. Some of the words are very apt for choir rehearsals – ‘drive the dark of doubt away’ and ‘giver of immortal gladness’.
Enjoy the summer and all the joy it brings.Gill