Singing with God

“I thought for sure you’d end up at the Grand Ole Opry!” My great-uncle said this to me one of the last times I saw him. When I was three, we lived across the street from Uncle Ole (what I called him even though his name was Leo) and Aunt Betty, my grandpa’s sister.

One night a week, I’d use my parents’ cassette tape recorder, hold the little microphone up to the TV, and record the Donny and Marie Show. The next day I would take the recorder across the street to Ole and Betty’s house, play back the previous night’s show, and sing along with it and perform for them.

Not sure if I was any good but I had the heart of a singer.

I even had Donny and Marie Barbie dolls – in flashy purple and sparkly silver outfits. I was a hardcore fan.

Earlier this week, I found (or it found me) a video for a Bible study series called Sacred Pathways. The author/speaker Gary Thomas talks about the various ways we connect with God and also comments on the fact that we look for excuses to get out of spending time with God.

Thomas recalled a chance he had to have supper with Billy Graham. It meant changing his flight that night (not convenient or inexpensive) as well as cancelling plans with several people the next day. Both of which he did because it was worth it to him to meet Billy Graham. (Obviously, another hardcore fan.)

His point being if it’s important enough to us we would do just about anything to spend time with people we idolize (or record them on cassette tape).

So why do we look for excuses to not have to spend time with God?

Because, Thomas says, the expectation of a “get up before dawn quiet time” with God is not a one-size fits all solution. It is not the only way we can connect with God.

We are all different, have unique personalities, varying spiritual gifts. Consequently, we all relate to God in different ways.

I write about music a lot on Come So Alive and even have a page on comesoalive.com dedicated to music. Because music is what kept me together during the worst of the epilepsy storm. But really, music has been vital to my soul since I was three.

When we find what we love and use that as a way to connect with God, suddenly it’s something we want to do, long to do even. Like God longs to spend time with us.

The Lord your God is with you,
    the Mighty Warrior who saves.
He will take great delight in you;
    in his love he will no longer rebuke you,
    but will rejoice over you with singing.”

Zephaniah 3:17

I love to sing. And hum. And dance. With or without music actually playing (out loud at least because I always have music in my head).

My husband came home from work one night and saw me dancing at the counter while I made supper. “So, what are you listening to?” he asked…because there wasn’t any music playing in the kitchen.

I can’t not sing. Maybe because that’s the gift God gave me, the way I connect with Him. Me singing to Him and Him singing to me. Even if only for three minutes at a time, like I wrote about in last week’s post.

Thomas’ study explores different ways to experience God, such as in nature, caregiving, or through contemplative practices. For me, it’s music.

But music might not be your thing. (I have noticed “likes” drop when I post songs or song lyrics…just sayin’)

What is it you love, your gift from God that’s a way to connect with Him?

I’d love to hear your thoughts – and it may just help someone else find their pathway to God too.

I connect by singing with God. How about you?