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“He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love,
he will rejoice over you with singing.” Zephaniah 3:17
The steps of the old wooden porch at the secluded cottage beckoned me to sit and relax, an invitation to escape the pace of the city and embrace the solitude of nature. It was too much of an enticement to be resisted, so I dropped my body onto the top stair running my hands over the weathered wood. I soon found myself releasing my heart and lifting my prayers to God only to be distracted by the steady lilt and frequency of the singing cicadas. At first the noise seemed annoying, but as I tuned to listen, I discovered great joy and contentment in their distinct sounds echoing through the woods. Together they formed a choir of rhythm, yet it was a symphony of individuality; each song was different. I could hear the high pitch, the low tone, the rapid, and the slow. It seemed they were all singing to me, requests from bodies desiring my attention. I was surrounded by creatures continually clamoring to reveal their story, some more incessant and loud, others injecting in quieter intervals.
As I bent my ear to listen more closely, turning my head left and right to catch a glimpse of one of the singers, I realized this must be the way we sound to God. We are millions of voices crying out in prayer, chanting our own song, each voice unique, distinct. A choir of children, voices of unity, but individual stories lamented to God desiring His attention. My own praying ceased as I reveled in this concert continuing to perceive this world through God’s viewpoint.
As night fell around me, the singing began to taper bringing silence to my surroundings. A few random notes filled the air, but most seekers had journeyed on or drifted off to slumber. I missed the harmony of their voices joined in unison. I wished their voices would continually seek my presence and bring melodious sounds to my ears. The silence reverberated and I thought of the noisemakers fondly and waited in anticipation for their voices to greet me again in the morning.
My thoughts returned to my Creator as I imagined Him watching His children settle down for the night, missing the sound of our voices. It is then that His chorus begins. He sings over us in our sleep. His song restores, caresses, and wraps us in the cocoon of His love. Each verse beckons to our soul. He protects us as He waits in anticipation for our voices to once again greet Him in the morning and resonate beautiful music throughout His kingdom.
