2 Cents

If you've spent any significant time going to church services in your life you've certainly seen this before - the man or woman who doesn't sing the worship songs but just stands there and enjoys/endures them.

While I certainly understand this in the case of the non-Christian visiting a church and trying to figure out what it's all about, it really, really, frustrates me to see someone who has been a Christian for many years refusing to use their voice to worship God during the church service.

In the book of Ephesians God gives us the following command:

"... be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart."  - Eph. 5:18-19

In Colossians we read:

"Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God."  - Col. 3:16

It is very clear that God commands Christians in his word to sing songs of worship and praise and thankfulness to him.  In other words, for the Christian, not singing when you're physically able to do so is a sin.

Some people refuse to sing because they think they have a poor singing voice.  Truth is, many people do have a very poor singing voice that sounds a lot like those delusional people we laugh at on the first few weeks of American Idol.  However I would contend that those people can glorify God just as much, if not more, than those with beautiful voices.

The person who knows they have a horrible singing voice yet belts out worship songs loudly and without shame glorifies God in showing him and others that they love God with all their heart and will give him their all no matter what those around them may think.

I had a good friend in college that truly had a poor sounding singing voice.  Yet when the time came for worship he was "loud and proud" and it was clear it was his joy to use his voice to praise and worship the God who loved him and saved him.

In the church I serve at currently there is a young woman with Down's Syndrome that I personally believe glorifies God in her singing more than any other member of our congregation - indeed more than any other worshipper I've ever sang with.

This young woman has every reason not to sing.  She has a shaky singing voice and you can hear it.  On top of that she can't read very well so most of the time she has to rely on memory for songs she's heard multiple times, or singing a little behind others for songs she doesn't know.

But if you're sitting anywhere next to her you can hear her loud and clear.  And I think it's one of the most beautiful sounds I've ever heard.

I'm convinced God feels the same way.  Of course I can't know for sure, but I'd be willing to bet God loves hearing that young girl sing much more than thousands of people who have professionally trained voices.

So, yes God does command us to sing praise and worship songs to him.  Indeed it is a sin not to do so when we are able.

But more than that, it should be our joy!

No matter our quality of voice God desires to hear us.  And when we make music with our mouths out of the melody from our hearts (Eph. 5:19) it brings Him joy as well.