I Can Hear the Sounds

He sends the springs into the valleys; They flow among the hills. . . . By them the birds of the heavens have their home; They sing among the branches. . . . May the glory of the LORD endure forever; May the LORD rejoice in His works. . . . I will sing to the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praise to my God while I have my being. May my meditation be sweet to Him; I will be glad in the LORD. —Psalm 104:10–12, 31–34, NKJV

I awoke to the cacophony emanating through the air to greet the Sabbath morning. For me, it was a special day, truly a “day of rest and gladness, [a] day of joy and light.” The cares of the week were laid aside, and the Sabbath provided a respite from the frantic flurry of the week as I prepared for the arrival of several family members who were coming soon to celebrate another family event. All the preparation and planning could distract from the small moments of nature’s praise emanating around us, but God gave me this moment, I was determined to enjoy it, and so I quietly sang, My Maker and my King, To Thee my all I owe Thy sovereign bounty is the spring Whence all my blessings flow. Surely, His goodness toward His children demands more praise than any of us can return to Him! In the face of such bounty—we are speechless! The cacophony coming from the world around us is also loud and so distracting that the sounds of Christ’s approaching return are almost lost in the melee.

Once, I was accustomed to hearing worshiping voices from my neighbor’s house—but I hear them no more. They now await the call of the Life Giver.

One day soon, we will meet again, and we will sing the song of Moses and the Lamb as we play our harps. So let us take time now to listen to the beautiful sounds of nature. Let us praise Him while we prepare for the glorious angelic choir who will soon announce His coming.

Sonia Kennedy-Brown