Singing when the Evening Comes

The sun comes up, it's a new day dawning.

It's time to sing Your song again.

Whatever may pass, and whatever lies before me,

Let me be singing when the evening comes.

Matt Redman

I love the morning hours. I wrote my books from 4:00 - 7:00 in the morning so I could be available to my children when they woke up. Just recently I began to revisit some of those early hours. When "the sun comes up and a new day dawns," it's easy for me to sing God's song. My heart is at peace, and my soul is joyful. It's just God and me.

Fast forward to the end of my day, and I find it much harder to sing. I didn't meet my writing goal, I forgot to throw the clothes in the dryer, I can't find something that I put in a special place where I knew I could find it, a waitress was grouchy, I was charged wrong on a purchase...little things that steal my song. 

In the battleground of daily frustrations, I have found standing with my sword raised above my head only serves to keep the song from my heart. Yet when I simply kneel, focus my thoughts on blessings, (which far outweigh my petty frustrations) I can start to hear a simple melody seep into my soul. As I focus on the melody, it grows and expands into a rising crescendo until I am singing "when the evening comes." 

There are times when we take the stance of a warrior. When we raise our sword and rebuke the enemy. But other times we can lay aside the armor and weapons, and allow our Most High King to restore the song to our heart. Like the shepherd, David, wrote, "He'll anoint my head with oil," as if I am a distinguished guest.

Don't look for me in the evening's battle. I'll be kneeling with bowed head, counting my blessings, ready to receive the anointing from my King's ram horn. I'll be "singing when the evening comes."

Joyfully,