You may be a quiet sort of person, and I understand that. I, on the other hand, tend to lean more towards the other side of the spectrum.
And I know how to shout !
One of the many skills the United States Marine Corps taught me was the ability to project my voice at incredibly loud volumes for sustained periods. This is a marvelous trait if you’re providing a cadence to a platoon on the march; it’s not so helpful in a marriage or when raising a family, by the way. It has to be said that there are times when it’s good and proper to shout; times when only a shout will do.
Today’s verse says LET US SHOUT JOYFULLY TO THE ROCK OF OUR SALVATION.
It’s in the secular realm of sports that you’re most likely to see folk shouting for their favorite team; and most especially when great rivals meet. When the New York Yankees play the Boston Red Sox, you can count on a vocal and vibrant crowd to fill the stands. The same holds true when Liverpool and Manchester United face off in the UK or when rivals Gor Mahia play against the AFC Leopards in Kenya. None of these match ups is going to provide a quiet afternoon if you’re in attendance.
There are LOTS of reasons to shout when it comes to a living faith. First of all salvation itself, full and free; paid for by the sacrifice of Jesus Christ upon the cross. Every sin you’ve ever sinned or ever will fall into – totally covered by the blood of Jesus! No condemnation. Ever! As I heard a southern preacher say once, “If that don’t light yer fire, then yer wood’s wet!!”
Add to that the gift of the Holy Spirit, filling us with comfort, wisdom and His guidance. Christ calling us to follow Him and participate in the ministry of the Gospel, advancing His kingdom and drawing folk who are perishing and facing eternity without hope. The many gifts He pours into us – – discernment, faith, healing, knowledge, mercy, wisdom and many more. The blessings He gives us within as He works His character in us — love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These are just a small part of a list that could run on for pages. It’s enough to make you want to shout out loud with joy! (So go ahead, shout for JOY; I’ll wait.)
And while you’re shouting for joy, why not just go ahead and add in some shouts of praise? Tell Christ how amazing He is to you, and how much you love loving Him. Shout out, “HALLELUJAH !!!! Lord, You’re Worthy!!!” Or maybe you’d prefer to yell, “HOLY, HOLY, HOLY.” Why not? That’s what the angels before His throne in heaven are calling out to one another. The prophet Isaiah saw a vision of angels in heaven, and as they flew they were shouting out to each other, “Holy, holy, holy is the LORD of Heaven’s Armies! The whole earth is filled with his glory!”
So feel free to join in! Because it will actually ADD to the freedom you feel inside to worship Jesus. Worship, praise and shouts of joy will set you free from things that bind you. Don’t worry about what others think, and don’t be concerned about whether you’ll appear undignified. King David’s wife accused him of behaving in an undignified manner as he worshiped and celebrated the return of the ark of the covenant to Jerusalem. Let me give you the “Bishop Robert Version” of his reply to her. He said, “Oh, you think THIS is undignified do you? Well, strap in baby, I’m going to be a lot more ‘undignified’ than this! You ain’t seen NOTHIN’ yet !!!”
So make some noise. The psalmist wrote, “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth!” He encourages us to serve the Lord with gladness, not with the sour look of folk who’ve been licking lemons! We should come into His presence with singing! Enter the gates of His house with thanksgiving, and His courts with praise! And you know why??? Because the Lord, He is God! It is He who made us, and we are His; we are His people, and the sheep of his pasture. THAT is a reason to shout! That is a reason to give thanks to Him; and bless His name! Because the Lord is good; His steadfast love endures forever, and His faithfulness touches all generations.
LET US SHOUT JOYFULLY TO THE ROCK OF OUR SALVATION
When Jesus was entering Jerusalem, the people took the branches of the palm trees and went out to meet Him. They began to shout, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, Blessed be the King of Israel.” Well, the religious leaders weren’t too happy with this, and they tried to get Jesus to tell the people to stop. Jesus told them that if the people kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into shouts of praise.
Hey, don’t let a rock take your place!! SHOUT JOYFULLY !!!
To steal a concept from the Isley Brothers, tell Jesus …
You know you make me wanna SHOUT
Kick my heels up and SHOUT
Throw my hands up and SHOUT
Throw my head back and SHOUT
Come on now …. SHOUT !!!
