If you are like me, you have probably quoted this scripture so many times it’s difficult to count. Usually we’ll read these verses at the beginning of a service, just before testimonial service (which practically no one has any more), or if we are presiding over a service and we want to get the congregation stirred. For those of you who follow any of my writings you may recall that the Lord has challenged me to stop quoting verses that I am not taking to heart. Thus I submit this article.
A couple of weeks ago l was in a service with the Greater Maryland Jurisdiction in their 85th Annual Holy Convocation – my pastor and leader, Bishop Ted Thomas was the guest speaker. Before he preached a mighty word, the host bishop, Bishop Joel H. Lyles, addressed the audience. He informed us that the management of the hotel we were worshipping complained about the amount of noise the saints made the previous year. He then encouraged us to really send a message and show the hotel what real noise was. With that, the saints begin to mightily praise God with a loud voice. That is, almost everyone.
I literally found myself looking around the room, admiring everyone else and the beautiful setting I found myself in. Then as only He can do, the Holy Ghost prompted me: “What’s wrong with your lips, tongue, hands and feet?” I then began to worship my Savior and I felt the presence of God move in, on and all over me. Then God told me I needed to talk about this.
There are so many accounts in the Bible where the Lord instructs His people to make noise: and not just any noise, but they were to make it loud and joyful! Yet as you attend services, whether they be at the local, district, jurisdictional or national level, we are asked, encouraged, begged and eventually fussed at to raise our voices and bless God. “High five your neighbor, tell 18 people, grab your neighbor by the hand, leap for joy…” and on and on it goes. Ask yourself why people who have so much to be thankful for, have to be continuously prodded to do what the Lord commands? I believe it’s because we don’t really understand how praise or making noise benefits us.
You are well aware that noise is expected at a sporting event, musical performance and political gathering. They even go to great lengths to tell you to make noise – with cheerleaders, pom-pom teams, mega-phones, bands and colorful score boards all encouraging us to make noise. And for the most part we do. As a matter of fact, if you don’t make any noise, you look strange. We even hear athletes and performers say they feed off the energy of the audience. Something else happens when we make noise together – the participants in the stands form a type of bond, regardless of their gender, race, religion or socio-economic status. All because the fan put their individuality aside and joined in with everyone else.
Well it works almost the same way when we worship and praise God. Please know this – God does not need our praise to do anything!! I have Bible to support what I said. We were not around to praise God when He created the world; we were not in attendance to cheer the Father as He raised the Son from the dead; I don’t recall anyone singing songs of praise when the widow of Zarephath fed Elijah. I believe that praise is a direct reflection of our faith in God and our faith is what moves Him!
People are challenging – we always want to be in control. That’s why when the expeditor asks us all to stand during offering time, someone in the audience will not stand and some refuse to march to the table. You see them turn their bodies sideways as others are forced to squeeze past them. We’re asked to lift our hands – and we won’t. This is our way of keeping our walls up; this is our way of staying in control of ourselves. Be honest, you know you have said within yourself, “I don’t care what they say, I am not going to stand – they don’t know how I feel!”
However, when we let go of ourselves, when we trust God enough to lose our identity and join in with everyone else, we are demonstrating our faith in what we believe God can do! Remember Joshua and the battle of Jericho (Joshua 6:1-27), or Gideon’s battle with the Midianites (Judges 7) or Jehoshaphat’s victory against the Ammonites, Moabites and all the other “ites” (II Chronicles 20)? The Lord specifically told the people to make loud noise! He did not tell them to close their eyes and act deep; He did not tell them to cross their legs and tell jokes; He did not tell them to look around the room and see what everyone else was doing; He did not tell them to get an attitude with the leader or the person who was in charge. He told them all to make noise! No, their deliverance was not in the noise itself. Their deliverance was in their faith that caused them to hear the Word and become doers of the Word.
My brother and my sister, do not be deceived. Let go of your individuality, let go of your pride, turn loose your warped sense of self-importance, and drop your desire to hold on to your hurt and mistrust. Join the society of the saints and come on – let’s make a joyful noise. Let’s join the author of Psalms 47. “Clap your hands all ye people, shout unto God with a voice of triumph!”
I bless you in the name of the Lord!