Sing a New Song!

Sitting on my patio this morning, the neighborhood mockingbird is showing off his gift of singing. I love listening to the variety of songs in his personal collection…except when he wakes me up at 2am with his endless “tweedle-tweedle-tweedle, chirp-chirp-chirp,” playing for hours on end! I’ve often wondered who he’s trying to impress at 2 o’clock in the morning? His formal name, Mimus Polyglottos, translates as “many-tongued mimic”, which describes perfectly his behavior this morning.

Coincidentally, my morning meditation is from Psalm 96:

“Go ahead, sing your new song to the Lord! Let everyone in every language sing him a new song. Don’t stop! Keep on singing! Make his name famous! Tell everyone every day how wonderful he is. Give them the good news of our great Savior.” (Psalm 96:1-2 TPT)

I had to chuckle to myself…that’s exactly what my mockingbird is doing! He sings a new song every few seconds, instinctively calling out to his beloved mate or luring her into a relationship with him or perhaps protecting their new family. Whatever the reason, he is, I believe, singing a new song to the Lord of Creation…perfectly mimicking the songs of different birds he has heard. In his very being he is a songbird. And he knows who he is. He is simply and effortlessly living into his purpose on earth.

It makes me ponder my own purpose here on earth. I was certainly not blessed with the gift of singing, but I do know I am blessed with other gifts. The question is, am I using the gifts God has given me? Am I honoring Him with my life? Am I singing a new song to the Lord? Am I sharing the good news, telling everyone how wonderful He is? Am I living into the “who” God created me to be?

In his book, The Purpose Driven Life, Rick Warren suggests “You cannot fulfill God’s purposes for your life while focusing on your own plans.” In other words, “Trust in the LORD completely, and do not rely on your own opinions.” (Proverbs 3:5 TPT) It’s a tall order to NOT trust in my own plans…to trust God completely. That requires deliberately focusing less on me and more on seeking after God. I think this is where faith comes into frame. I must believe His ways are better than my ways. But why not? After all, He created ME…He designed me uniquely and with a purpose greater than I could imagine by myself.

My mockingbird doesn’t have any plans to order for his life…he just IS…BEING…a Mockingbird! He obeys his Creator instinctively. He has no choice. I on the other hand, have free will…and I must choose. My relationship with the Creator is because I CHOOSE to be in relationship with Him.

God began this one-on-one relationship with me at my creation. Then at some point in my life I responded to His love and I decided to love Him back. That choice began a journey that has transformed my life for good and continues to unfold. And with every unfolding, our relationship grows deeper and stronger and more secure. It’s not always easy…but the good news is, I am not alone. My Creator is leading me, guiding me, helping me, along the way.

I am so filled with gratitude to God for first loving me that I MUST sing a new song to the Lord! I’m here to tell you how amazing His love is and that He has the same love for you that he has for everyone and every part of His creation. His great love saved you and me from our human state of demise and restored us into a relationship with Him and gave us eternal life through His Son, Jesus Christ! All you need is to accept His love-gift to you. And by the power of His Spirit, you will be transformed into a new creation in Christ. That’s the Good News! That’s our loving Savior…he just IS…BEING…God!