I recently sat with an experienced pastor and we were discussing Colossians 3:16, which calls on us to “admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” During our conversation the pastor made this comment: “We sing because we proclaim the truth of the Gospel to each other.”
Something powerful happens when we sing. We tell ourselves the stories of the past. Singing “Silent Night” connects us to generations of Christians who sang that during Christmas Eve. And singing also gives us a glimpse of the future. When we sign “Joy to the World,” we’re reminded that God still moves in ways we would never expect.
This week we have focused on a few women with important roles and songs in the Bible. Today’s passage in Judges 5 is a song remembering the story of Deborah, an Israelite war hero.
When you read through the Bible and follow Jesus one of the tensions we embrace is a never changing God who works in new ways. Judges 5:8 makes this observation in the song: “God chose new leaders…” When you read the story of Deborah, the timelessness of God intervening in saving Israel does not change. But how He intervenes changes.
Warren Wiersbe, a pastor and author has said, “If you can explain it, then God probably didn’t do it.” If you were to ask the original readers of Judges 5, they would have been surprised by Deborah’s leadership and victory in battle.
Now fast forward to the New Testament… God’s ultimate plan to save the world hinged on a young teenage girl, Mary, getting pregnant by the Holy Spirit.
Judges 5 and Advent invite us to reflect how we might have put God in a box. He works in new ways. It’s not the same old song, rather it’s a reminder of His character. He is a faithful God who works in unexplainable ways. We sing because we worship an incomprehensible God who is with us.
PRAYER
Lord, today I recognize You never change, but work in new ways. Open my heart to how you’re doing something new in me during this season.
PRACTICE
Pick your favorite Christmas carol. Write out the ways it describes how God does not change, but how it highlights how God works in new ways.
Photo by David Beale on Unsplash
