Make a Joyful Noise
Daily Old Testament Reading: Psalm 96, 100-101
Daily Focus Passage: Psalm 100
The Lord alone deserves all praise and glory. He is the creator and sustainer of everything and provides guidance and strength to navigate this life—the person, character, and work of the Lord present reason to rejoice and praise him. Thus, we must respond to the Lord with the desire to make a joyful noise that flows from the heart. The joyful noise flows from the joy we have in Christ. As we engage Psalm 100, we must analyze ourselves and see if we are making a joyful noise or allowing hindrances to keep us from rejoicing.
A JOYFUL NOISE
We must make a joyful noise unto the Lord. Unfortunately, joyful noise is not a collection of sounds. We live in a world of constant noise and chaos. Many of us may enter the car and immediately turn on the radio because we cannot stand the presence of silence. We have grown accustomed to noise, and the noise we experience in this world is chaotic and often competes against itself. Thus, we must make a joyful noise to the Lord, not mere noise as part of the chaos.
A joyful noise is a focused declaration. When we desire to make a joyful noise to the Lord, we must intentionally focus our declaration on the Lord. We must overcome the threat of making a noise for the self or just join in the group. Instead, we must focus our attention and our hearts on the Lord, declare his greatness and holiness, and work with an intentional act.
A joyful noise is a purposeful rejoicing. When we rejoice in the Lord, we must approach with authentic praise. We must come with the desire to honor the Lord and to praise him. When we rejoice with a purpose, we acknowledge our respect, fear, and awe for the Lord. When we come to the Lord with a purpose, we enter a state of sharing with the Lord his priority in our lives.
A PRESENT HINDRANCE
We must recognize the possible hindrances to keep us from making a joyful noise. First, we must see the hindrance of material. The items of this world often distract us from making a joyful noise to the Lord. When we desire more stuff and allow greed and jealousy of others' stuff to drive us, we become controlled by the flesh. Thus, we enter a state of not making a joyful noise but instead exemplifying a life hindered by the flesh.
We must see the hindrance of situations. Situations we endure often keep us from rejoicing authentically. The dynamics may bring us to the place of focusing on the self and refusing to seek the Lord and praise him even in the storm. When situations become the driving force, our flesh elevates its worth and often forces us to become inward-focused instead of trusting in the Lord.
We must see the hindrance of being ashamed of the ability of the self. Some people hold that their ability to worship is hindered by their ability to sing. The joyful noise is not concerned with the ears of humanity, but instead, the joyful noise rejoices from the heart for the ears of God. God delights in hearing every one of his children make a joyful noise. Every praise of God’s child is a beautiful sound to the Lord. Thus, we must not allow the expectations of humanity to define what is joyful or not.
Do we live to make a joyful noise when we consider our lives? Do we allow the hindrances of the world and the self to keep us from honoring the Lord? As we engage Psalm 100, may we ask the Lord to create within us a heart that makes a joyful noise. May we strive to make the joyful noise of praise to the Lord, forgiveness to others, reconciliation in body, and reflecting on the way, will, and Word of the Lord.
