Erica George: Stage Fright
Erica George
Issue date: 4/1/09 Section: Religion
"No storm can shake my inmost calm while to that rock I'm clinging. Since love is Lord of heaven and earth, how can I keep from singing?"
I was excited to sing this hymn in Mass on Sunday. This has always been one of my favorites; probably because I like to think of my life as a musical. (You can ask my roommates or track down my sister.)
But as I think more about the hymn, I grow to love it on a deeper level. It's funny how we have the inclination when something brings us joy to sing about it. As I thought about this at Mass, I was slightly perplexed ... Why is that? Where does that natural desire in our soul to express joy in song come from?
Well, I didn't have an answer, that is, until I randomly opened my Bible to Zephaniah 3:17 which reads, "The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a mighty Savior; He will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love, He will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals."
It seems our inclination to sing comes from being in the image and likeness of God. We bring Him so much joy that He sings over us! I can't help but wonder sometimes, "but why would He sing over me?" And the only way to set my bewilderment at ease is to just sing His praises even more because He loves me though I don't deserve it.
So that was Sunday … what happens when Monday rolls around and, say, someone doesn't like my singing? They think I should sing a certain way or, worse, not at all. Suddenly, my audience has expanded and not everyone is singing my praises in response. Suddenly, I am self-conscious and silenced.
Could this be a metaphor for the way we live?
Isn't it easy to devote your life to God when it is just you and Him in prayer? But, you go out in your day to day routine and someone doesn't like how you're living. Then what? If you're like me, you might be tempted to go back to square one and figure out how to best please the most people.
Why is it so hard to realize that others' opinions don't matter? In the end, it's me and God looking back over my life in one long performance. I wonder how much of my singing would actually be directed at Him.
I wonder how much of the performance would just be utter silence.
Ever been at a performance where someone got up to sing and just froze? Ever been that person?
As a result of this and that note being off key or off tempo or simply the fear of it being so, we stop singing all together. Yet, all that matters to God is that we sang with sincerity.
It may seem humiliating now to live for God with so many people watching, but how much more humiliating would it be to look back on your performance to God and watch yourself frozen.
You're on the stage and God's in the audience. He's singing to you. How can you keep from singing?
I was excited to sing this hymn in Mass on Sunday. This has always been one of my favorites; probably because I like to think of my life as a musical. (You can ask my roommates or track down my sister.)
But as I think more about the hymn, I grow to love it on a deeper level. It's funny how we have the inclination when something brings us joy to sing about it. As I thought about this at Mass, I was slightly perplexed ... Why is that? Where does that natural desire in our soul to express joy in song come from?
Well, I didn't have an answer, that is, until I randomly opened my Bible to Zephaniah 3:17 which reads, "The Lord, your God, is in your midst, a mighty Savior; He will rejoice over you with gladness, and renew you in his love, He will sing joyfully because of you, as one sings at festivals."
It seems our inclination to sing comes from being in the image and likeness of God. We bring Him so much joy that He sings over us! I can't help but wonder sometimes, "but why would He sing over me?" And the only way to set my bewilderment at ease is to just sing His praises even more because He loves me though I don't deserve it.
So that was Sunday … what happens when Monday rolls around and, say, someone doesn't like my singing? They think I should sing a certain way or, worse, not at all. Suddenly, my audience has expanded and not everyone is singing my praises in response. Suddenly, I am self-conscious and silenced.
Could this be a metaphor for the way we live?
Isn't it easy to devote your life to God when it is just you and Him in prayer? But, you go out in your day to day routine and someone doesn't like how you're living. Then what? If you're like me, you might be tempted to go back to square one and figure out how to best please the most people.
Why is it so hard to realize that others' opinions don't matter? In the end, it's me and God looking back over my life in one long performance. I wonder how much of my singing would actually be directed at Him.
I wonder how much of the performance would just be utter silence.
Ever been at a performance where someone got up to sing and just froze? Ever been that person?
As a result of this and that note being off key or off tempo or simply the fear of it being so, we stop singing all together. Yet, all that matters to God is that we sang with sincerity.
It may seem humiliating now to live for God with so many people watching, but how much more humiliating would it be to look back on your performance to God and watch yourself frozen.
You're on the stage and God's in the audience. He's singing to you. How can you keep from singing?
Viewing Comments 1 - 1 of 1
Baltimore Movers
posted 5/07/09 @ 5:19 PM EST
Great article, Erica, very well said.
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