Reflections on Shouting
December 1, 2005 Blog
Dear Gentle Reader
To go or not to go, that was the question. Should I meet with my Love Family this morning, or stay home and let Connie lead them? Dick thought I shouldn’t risk a worse cold by sitting in the unheated church (chilly, even in San Diego), since I need to be well by December 9, when I’m supposed to leave for Milwaukee.
His view seemed wise, and I liked the idea of giving Connie an opportunity to lead the group. She arrived here early to get the materials (song sheets, etc.) and she looked so pretty in a new pink, velour outfit. She’s an artist and makes jewelry, too. (I think she gives away more than she sells!) Her hand-made necklace was perfect with her outfit.
Instead of meeting with them, I’ve been researching Bible verses on "shout" (as in "Shout to the Lord") and have concluded that Old Testament believers were a lot rowdier than most churches are today. There are repeated references to shouting, rejoicing, lifting your voice ("bellow, shout"). My earliest memory of church in Iowa (Methodist) was the choir singing a song about how we should all keep silence before God. The scriptural basis for that was Habakkuk 2:20: "The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before Him."
It’s interesting how we can "cherry pick" verses that agree with our own viewpoints. For every verse in the Bible that talks about being silent, there are probably twenty that exhort us to shout aloud, rejoice, even bellow (according to the Hebrew, although no translations use that term).
For several years I've attended a neighborhood church aptly called The Praise Center.. The folks there do get noisy and rowdy in rejoicing before God. They shout, sing at the top of their lungs, raise their arms, and dance. A young man bring flags and his wife brings stoles with which to praise the Lord with all their might. It’s a lot of fun!
Fun? (Are you put off?)
"Church isn’t supposed to be fun. It’s supposed to be serious, holy."
But fun (read "joy") and holiness don’t need to be mutually exclusive, or the Bible wouldn’t tell us to rejoice with great joy!
In the New Testament St. Paul encourages us to "Rejoice! And again I say, Rejoice!"
Let’s rejoice this day. It’s a choice we can make. Even if we have difficulties, may not feel well, are lonely, or have snowdrifts outside the window…We can still make the choice to rejoice.
Peace and joy to you.
Dear Gentle Reader
To go or not to go, that was the question. Should I meet with my Love Family this morning, or stay home and let Connie lead them? Dick thought I shouldn’t risk a worse cold by sitting in the unheated church (chilly, even in San Diego), since I need to be well by December 9, when I’m supposed to leave for Milwaukee.
His view seemed wise, and I liked the idea of giving Connie an opportunity to lead the group. She arrived here early to get the materials (song sheets, etc.) and she looked so pretty in a new pink, velour outfit. She’s an artist and makes jewelry, too. (I think she gives away more than she sells!) Her hand-made necklace was perfect with her outfit.
Instead of meeting with them, I’ve been researching Bible verses on "shout" (as in "Shout to the Lord") and have concluded that Old Testament believers were a lot rowdier than most churches are today. There are repeated references to shouting, rejoicing, lifting your voice ("bellow, shout"). My earliest memory of church in Iowa (Methodist) was the choir singing a song about how we should all keep silence before God. The scriptural basis for that was Habakkuk 2:20: "The Lord is in his holy temple; let all the earth keep silence before Him."
It’s interesting how we can "cherry pick" verses that agree with our own viewpoints. For every verse in the Bible that talks about being silent, there are probably twenty that exhort us to shout aloud, rejoice, even bellow (according to the Hebrew, although no translations use that term).
For several years I've attended a neighborhood church aptly called The Praise Center.. The folks there do get noisy and rowdy in rejoicing before God. They shout, sing at the top of their lungs, raise their arms, and dance. A young man bring flags and his wife brings stoles with which to praise the Lord with all their might. It’s a lot of fun!
Fun? (Are you put off?)
"Church isn’t supposed to be fun. It’s supposed to be serious, holy."
But fun (read "joy") and holiness don’t need to be mutually exclusive, or the Bible wouldn’t tell us to rejoice with great joy!
In the New Testament St. Paul encourages us to "Rejoice! And again I say, Rejoice!"
Let’s rejoice this day. It’s a choice we can make. Even if we have difficulties, may not feel well, are lonely, or have snowdrifts outside the window…We can still make the choice to rejoice.
Peace and joy to you.
posted by Patty G. | 4:48 PM
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