Humming Along Just Won't Do

One more story from Costa Rica....

It seemed from the beginning that music was going to play an important part in this mission trip. It started with that stunning rendition in Spanish of How Great Thou Art at our first church service at Mt. Olives. Many team members used songs or lyrics from hymns during their devotions. There is something so stirring about music. Perhaps music gives the Holy Spirit an inconspicuous inroads into our hearts, allowing Him to swell up and bubble over when we hear that high, clear note or that lyric that strongly reminds us of something deeply felt. Even the fun kids' songs we sang in church complete with silly dance moves had the power to choke me up as I looked out into a sea of faces and noticed the joy on each child's face...in utter innocence, they were praising the Lord and getting a lot of enjoyment out of the act. On Tuesday night, when we attended a second church service at Mt. Olives, we found ourselves singing again....out loud and without understanding most of the words. Then, about midway through, the one-man-band told us he had a special song for the missionaries. And he broke out with Shout to the Lord. In English! This is, of course, a well-played song here in the US. If you listen to the FISH radio station for any length of time in the car, you will most likely hear Shout to the Lord. And the lyrics, so purely moving whenever you hear them, sounded even more meaningful in that setting, at that moment.

Shout to the Lord, all the earth, let us sing

Power and Majesty, praise to the King;

Mountains bow down and the seas will roar

At the sound of Your name.

I sing for joy at the work of your hands,

Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand

Nothing compares to the promise I have in You....

After he finished, everyone in the church began to clap and call out Hallelujah and Amen. The clapping went on. And on. And on. For five straight minutes. Later, we reflected on the unique nature of that moment...how often do you get to clap for Jesus like that?