2009 Advent Devotional: December 21
December 21: Psalm 96
Jay B. Hillestad
As a chaplain on-call, I was paged one morning for a young man on the Transplant Unit who had rushed 200 miles to the hospital with his family because a matching donor was found for a kidney. While waiting for the organ, the family asked to speak with me. They described to me, as if waiting to meet Santa Claus, how they had hurriedly got ready and drove like maniacs in a magical dream on this dark, wint’ry morning. They felt such hope and joy! They asked me to pray, and together we also sang a song of praise, although their son was still on “death row,” so to speak, if this kidney didn’t take. I was touched by this family’s courage and spirit even before deliverance had occurred for this young man.
Now what did that accomplish, exactly? Well, for one, science tells us that if we have faith, and if we pray, we are more likely to experience healing and good health. But even more important, I think, is the transformative power of living in relationship to a God whom we experience as real, as being “for” us, and as being faithfully with us.
When the psalmist exhorts us in Psalm 96 to “sing to the Lord a new song,” he does not require or expect that all is well with us, but invites us, in spite of all, to have God enthroned in our hearts, recognizing God as our Savior and Companion. Clearly, it’s easier to sing praises to one who has already come through for us. But this scripture reminds us to trust God and lift our hearts in prayer and song. In this, we lend God’s ear, heart and resources to the situation, and delight this amazing God who longs to be in relationship with us. In this season may you find fresh songs springing from within your heart for the One who always loves you, is always for you, and is always with you.
