by 
Joyful Noise
Randy K. C.
Noise. Joyful? The nine verses of Psalm 98 tell us to make a joyful noise unto the Lord with music, trumpets, harp, voice and clapping of our hands.
There seems to be a lot of noise in our society today. It is impossible to go through a day without hearing some noise. We often think of the word noise in a negative way.
Students, and sometimes adults, occasionally get noisy. Battlefields are noisy with guns and cannons blasting. Stores are noisy with music playing over the intercom, people talking, and cash registers “beeping” as they read the bar codes at the checkout lane. Some people have their car radio turned on so loud you can hear it as you drive by. Years ago the radio was considered optional equipment on a vehicle. Today, can you even purchase a new car without a radio?
What would Christmas be without music? The traditional Christmas songs are joyful noises that we should embrace each year. Each Christmas song, both sacred and secular, has a message for young and old alike. Even “Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer” reminds us that excessive drinking over the holidays can have devastating results.
It is time for all of us to embrace the joyful noises of life and filter out the negative ones that are so often easy to dwell upon. On this day, listen to the joyful noise of the season and even better yet, MAKE some joyful noise that others will WANT to listen to.
Prayer: Lord, quiet the earth with the noises that are not in the spirit of your holiness and help us to sing unto You a new song this advent season that will last forever and ever. Hallelujah! Amen.
