It’s a glorious Sunday morning. You are standing on stage singing a beautiful song for the congregation of your church. It’s a song that you love; it has a beautiful melody and great lyrics. You are confident that you sound good singing it. Suddenly, you really hear the words you’re singing, and it’s as though you have never heard them before. God nudges at your heart. and you ask yourself, “Does my life reflect the words I’m singing?”
I’ve had this experience many times. It’s amazing to me how often the Holy Spirit chooses to have a conversation with me while I’m singing. That still, small voice can get through no matter how loud the music. On the surface, my first response to that question is, “Of course, my life reflects these words. I believe every word I’m singing!”
Recently, I was standing in a long line at a local drugstore and totally unaware that I was about to be given a pop quiz on living out my faith. The clerk was new at the job, and the line was moving at a snail’s pace. The longer I stood there, the more frustrated I became. By the time I made it up to the checkout counter, I could hardly contain my impatience.
However, before I could open my mouth, the young clerk looked up at me and said, “Thank you so much for the music you sing at church. God always uses it to speak to my heart.” I was busted! My first thought was, “I’ve never seen this person before in my life!!” Then, “Thank you Lord that You kept my mouth shut!!!” Holy Spirit immediately reminded me of Psalm 19:14, “Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.” (ESV) I may not have sinned in the words I almost spoke to that young clerk, but the “meditation of my heart” was nothing more than impatience and aggravation. I confessed my sin and committed to memory Psalm 19:14.
You see, it’s easy to live for Jesus while at church standing in front of a group of believers singing a song of worship and praise or encouragement and exhortation. But does your life reflect the words you’re singing while at your workplace? in a traffic jam? in a long checkout line? in your conversations? in your thought life? in the privacy of your home?
Let’s make Psalm 19:14 our prayer. Let’s strive to make the words that we speak and the thoughts that we think obedient to Christ and pleasing in God’s sight. Honor the Lord with your words and your thoughts. Then, when you stand in front of the congregation to sing, you can do it with joy – knowing that your life reflects the words that you sing.