Human Response 458: Singing, Dancing, Rejoicing when God comes

1 Chronicles 13:8 And David and all Israel played before God with all their might, and with singing, and with harps, and with psalteries, and with timbrels, and with cymbals, and with trumpets.

When there was relative peace in the land and great joy in Israel and David anointed king, David led the charge to bring back the Ark of God to Jerusalem. The coming of God caused such great joy among the people that they erupted in spontaneous celebration, making music, singing, and dancing before the Lord with all their might. The people followed David’s lead in excitement, merry-making, and rejoicing in the Lord. All of this was in joyful response to the coming of the Presence of God into their midst. It was as if the Lord is coming into the hearts and minds of His redeemed people.

We experience a similar unrestrained joy at Christmastime with the making of music and the singing of carols. Why? Because the Lord God Almighty is coming to us with love, mercy, forgiveness, and salvation in the person of the man, Jesus. Christmas music and singing is our grateful response to the coming of God into our earthly lives and into our hearts with His Life and Love. Jesus is our Christmas Joy, and when we hear the Good News of Great Joy exuberance is the appropriate faith response.