He thinks he’s a rooster. For weeks before the time change, he sounded his alarm promptly at 7 a.m. Now, it’s at 6. Each morning, he whistles his same little tune. It’s not the most elaborate chirp I’ve ever heard, but it’s a faithful call that synchronizes perfectly with the pink-hued dawn. While my alarm clock has a wider range of sounds, it couldn’t be more punctual than the ordinary little wren perched in our willow. His consistent little voice is repetitive, it’s chipper, and apparently, it’s contagious because within minutes, I hear a flurry of birdsong join his. This morning, as I listened to his faithful tweeting, I thought about how ordinary it was, yet it’s so masterfully designed by the Creator. Because the wren was created to do what he does, he brings a smile to God’s face…and to mine. Jesus said He pays attention to the smallest sparrow. And even though that same passage in Matthew 10 declares He is paying far more attention to me, I often fail to consider how beloved my voice is to Him. I have a feeling you do, too.
We have a voice of prayer. A voice that petitions, intercedes, and evokes God’s power in the earth. It’s a voice of endurance. There are mornings when the wren’s call is lonely. At times, no other bird joins in. Still, he can be heard. At other times, the accompanying chatter is temporary, but he sings on, long after every other chirp has quieted. A prayer voice that is not silenced persists. It calls out in the lonely hours and continues when distraction draws others away. It’s a steadfast cry that rings out in the still-dark hour, confident and consistent regardless of changing times and fluctuating seasons.
We have a voice of praise. God loves our praise. Psalm 150: 6 says, “Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.” 1 Chronicles 16:9 instructs, “Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.” Our voices should join the wren’s in worship.
We have a voice of encouragement. Hebrews 10 24-25 says we can build up others. “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” We can even encourage ourselves in the Lord, like David did in 1 Samuel 30:6.
We have a voice of edification. Our voice shares the gospel, obeying the Great Commission. It equips other believers. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.” Colossians 3:16 says, we are to “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
So why are we often silent? Our voice has come under enemy attack. While Satan doesn’t author stillness, you can guarantee that he initiates silence. Not the peaceful, restful quiet before the Lord, but the mute disconnect that gags our potential. He does it through busyness. If we are so frantic in our pace, we won’t take time to sing, and we certainly won’t open our mouths to lift others. He does it with indifference. If we don’t care about others, we won’t pray for them or encourage them, and if similar apathy extends to God, well, praise is superficial and prayer mechanical at best. He does it through lies. We think our tune doesn’t matter. We think it’s not as melodic as someone else’s. It feels repetitive. It’s ordinary. So why speak what’s already been said? What we’ve already spoken? Slowly our identity diminishes as our confidence dwindles.
But God is not interested in hearing the extraordinary. He likes the faithful. “Well done,” are his complementary words of choice. He doesn’t want to hear what we make creative. He wants to hear us. Just like He created us to be. He loves to hear us respond to the dawning of His light with delight. He leans in when the reverberation in our souls echo His heartbeat enough that we pray, that we give the wake-up call. He loves when our voices incite a host of worship. What sounds ordinary to us offers cheer to the listener. God bends His ear to us, and to Him, our voices are birdsong, a melody He loves to hear.
Tip/Tidbit: Today is a day to speak. Pray. Declare Scripture. Encourage. Praise. Lean in to the beauty of YOUR song.
We have a voice of prayer. A voice that petitions, intercedes, and evokes God’s power in the earth. It’s a voice of endurance. There are mornings when the wren’s call is lonely. At times, no other bird joins in. Still, he can be heard. At other times, the accompanying chatter is temporary, but he sings on, long after every other chirp has quieted. A prayer voice that is not silenced persists. It calls out in the lonely hours and continues when distraction draws others away. It’s a steadfast cry that rings out in the still-dark hour, confident and consistent regardless of changing times and fluctuating seasons.
We have a voice of praise. God loves our praise. Psalm 150: 6 says, “Let everything that hath breath praise the Lord.” 1 Chronicles 16:9 instructs, “Sing unto him, sing psalms unto him, talk ye of all his wondrous works.” Our voices should join the wren’s in worship.
We have a voice of encouragement. Hebrews 10 24-25 says we can build up others. “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” We can even encourage ourselves in the Lord, like David did in 1 Samuel 30:6.
We have a voice of edification. Our voice shares the gospel, obeying the Great Commission. It equips other believers. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 says, “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.” Colossians 3:16 says, we are to “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.”
So why are we often silent? Our voice has come under enemy attack. While Satan doesn’t author stillness, you can guarantee that he initiates silence. Not the peaceful, restful quiet before the Lord, but the mute disconnect that gags our potential. He does it through busyness. If we are so frantic in our pace, we won’t take time to sing, and we certainly won’t open our mouths to lift others. He does it with indifference. If we don’t care about others, we won’t pray for them or encourage them, and if similar apathy extends to God, well, praise is superficial and prayer mechanical at best. He does it through lies. We think our tune doesn’t matter. We think it’s not as melodic as someone else’s. It feels repetitive. It’s ordinary. So why speak what’s already been said? What we’ve already spoken? Slowly our identity diminishes as our confidence dwindles.
But God is not interested in hearing the extraordinary. He likes the faithful. “Well done,” are his complementary words of choice. He doesn’t want to hear what we make creative. He wants to hear us. Just like He created us to be. He loves to hear us respond to the dawning of His light with delight. He leans in when the reverberation in our souls echo His heartbeat enough that we pray, that we give the wake-up call. He loves when our voices incite a host of worship. What sounds ordinary to us offers cheer to the listener. God bends His ear to us, and to Him, our voices are birdsong, a melody He loves to hear.
Tip/Tidbit: Today is a day to speak. Pray. Declare Scripture. Encourage. Praise. Lean in to the beauty of YOUR song.
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