There’s a popular worship song out there right now about God’s greatness and the fact that he gives us the very breath we’re using to sing our praises to him. It’s a beautiful song, and the first few times I heard it, it brought me to my knees in awe of the greatness of our God. But, like many great worship songs, I started to hear it every week in praise chapel or Vespers, and every other week at church. Soon, the lyrics had no effect on my soul or my mind. I could sing the song perfectly but be thinking about the list of homework I had to do or daydream the entire time. I lost my awe for the truth that the song was proclaiming, and the song started to annoy me rather than remind me of the great God that I serve.
Until today.
Today in worship chapel, we sang the song again. But this time, instead of rolling my eyes, I listened to the lyrics as I sang them with the rest of the student body. I was still feeling a little leftover annoyance at the all too familiar song, and then God hit me over the head with the bridge. The lyrics are:
All the earth will shout Your praise.
Our hearts will cry.
These bones will sing.
Great are You, Lord.
Immediately the questions were there:
Do my bones sing the greatness of the Lord?
Does the very presence of my body in a room proclaim the goodness, faithfulness, and splendor of the One who I claim rules in my heart?
Or do I keep all the praise for myself?
There’s another student on my campus whose bones sing of the greatness of the Lord. I’ve never met her personally, but every time I see her she inspires me. She is gracious and kind to everyone who comes in contact with her, and whenever I’m in the same space as her, it is so filled with this glorious peace. I’m fully convinced it is because this woman loves Jesus with every part of her being, even down to her bones.
Today, I’m taking a look at my heart, my soul, and my bones. I’m looking to see where they’re aiming their praise. I’m asking God to show me the places that my praise needs to be replaced by his praise, and to help me dig out the cancer that is my pride and fill the gaping holes with his glorious goodness.
If my life only points to myself, I could acquire the highest fame in the world, but it would all be empty.
If the greatness of God radiates from the deepest parts of me, I could live my life in the slums and still live the fullest life I could imagine.
The choice is easy.
I want bones that sing.
