Make a Joyful Noise This Season

I grew up singing. In fact, when I was really little, my mother, a teacher and single mom of three, assembled us as a family band to help make ends meet. We played shows at churches and libraries, connecting books with faith and music. My siblings and I also wore matching outfits for these shows… but I digress.

I sang in honors choirs, church ensembles, and school groups. I sang in musicals and plays, in the car and at camp. I wasn’t destined for Broadway or anything, and I never got the lead role or concert solos, but I did love to sing!

Yet there was rejection along the way. While I was usually cast in the chorus of two musicals a year in high school, there was the one musical with a new director who cut me. Entirely. I watched all my friends practice without me, and it was so painful. Then there was the time I auditioned for solo and small ensemble parts in a show. The director told me (out loud in front of other people!) that I was “ok, but definitely not solo-ready,” which stung for years. A few more stinging moments came along the way and I started to doubt myself. I doubted my voice, I knew it wasn’t good enough, and my confidence was dashed. I stopped singing in public and in choirs, and resigned myself to be a shower-and-car singer only.

And then I met my husband, who was (is) a self-taught musician. He fell in love with me and with my voice. We sang together around campfires. We sang together in the car. We sang together at church. He asked me to sing at our wedding, and together we started a little praise band at church.

His love and confidence in me helped heal a part of myself I’d closed off and deemed inadequate.

We still sing together. We brought that piece of who we are when we changed churches. We sing with our kids, writing little songs and always with the kitchen radio on. We began sharing “Fireside Chats” this month, choosing a song that we love to sing together, filming our duet, and putting it on the internet. (Such a vulnerable feeling! But I’m doing it!) And now our kids are auditioning for choirs, singing in little ensembles at church, and rockin’ in the minivan with us.

I sang well by myself. But I found my voice when I started to sing with his.

Historically, singing has served as a significant means of expression, communication, and praise. I love that throughout Scripture we have scores of examples of people pouring out their hearts, together, in song — Moses and the Israelites for one, Paul and Silas for another, and maybe lesser-known (but super tough and cool) Deborah and Barak.

Did you know that Mary is the only woman in the New Testament to contribute a song? When Mary is told she’s going to have a baby, that she is going to birth the Son of God, she first responds with a ‘yes’. Then she heads out to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who is also having a miracle baby. When Mary greets Elizabeth, her baby begins leaping in the womb, and in reply to Elizabeth’s exclamation Mary sings a song:

“My soul glorifies the Lord
and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior,
for he has been mindful
of the humble state of his servant.
From now on all generations will call me blessed,
for the Mighty One has done great things for me—
holy is his name…”
Luke 1:46-49 NIV

There are also numerous passages about singing. Here are a couple of my favorites:

Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth,
    burst into jubilant song with music;
make music to the Lord with the harp,
    with the harp and the sound of singing,
with trumpets and the blast of the ram’s horn—
    shout for joy before the Lord, the King.
Psalm 98:4-6 NIV

Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.
Colossians 3:16 NLT

And in my very favorite, Zephaniah reminds us that God delights in us, so much so that He sings over us!

Who knows how well the people in the Bible sang? For all we know, it was an off-key mess. But God knew their hearts and smiled at their song. As we near Christmas, I hope you are able to enjoy carols and hymns, and the pure joy that comes in making a joyful noise, especially together. Whether we’re a lovely soprano voice in a choir or an off-key solo wonder, it’s all glory to God!

This Christmas, with our lives and our lips, may we all make a joyful noise for the One who is Emmanuel, God with us.

And tell me: what are your favorite Advent and Christmas songs to sing?