To Make A Soldier Sing

What does it take to make a soldier sing? I've never been in the armed forces, but I am engaged in a battle, in the same battle that's been going on since evil and sin and suffering and death came into the world. I wasn't the first soldier in the spiritual battle, and, unless the Lord returns tonight, I won't be the last. But what does it take to make a soldier sing?

The Litchfield Male Chorus had a concert scheduled last night at Stockholm Lutheran Church. There are many veterans in that chorus. I suppose I could ask them what it takes to make them sing. Sometimes I suppose it is the love of singing itself. But at other times it is victory that brings forth music!

When the angels sang at Christmas, it was an army singing, an army of God's chosen spiritual warriors. They sang and sang, "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased." The singing came because God had come to earth, a divine invasion of goodness into a hopeless and helpless world... finally, after ages of ages, the Lord chose to act decisively against the enemy. What a relief for the eternal angels! What joy!

We were out singing tonight in the cold, a family of warriors ourselves, battling with our own sinful tendencies but still ready to bring the joy and peace of God's victory to those around us. We sing because we have seen the truth, that God has not abandoned us in our darkness, but has acted, and will act, decisively, finally, to bring a new world, to bring fresh and eternal joy. The invasion started at Christmas, and would be completed at the cross, and at the empty tomb.

What Joy! Worth a song! Enough to make a soldier sing!