Make a Joyful Noise! (Psalm 98:4)
By Kristy Solis
As parents, we often share stories of dismay of our children such as my child will not sleep, my child is a picky eater, or my child does not listen, etc. The list could be an extensive one.
Today, my 3-year-old daughter would not cooperate and take a nap. Instead, she was out of bed, talking excessively and playing with her toys.
This little girl of mine was determined not to take a nap and continued to be loud and noisy. I was frustrated that she would not take a nap. I knew that I needed a new strategy.
As I contemplated my next maneuver to get this child to calm down to take a nap, a thought crossed my mind through the chaos and the noise: Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise.
It was a psalm that always touched my heart. For when I was a little girl, I had an aunt, who is no longer physically present, who would say, “Make a Joyful Noise” to me all the time. My aunt wholeheartedly loved children; she believed children should be heard, since this represented God’s grace.
As my daughter continued to sing, I started to laugh out loud at this thought. My daughter stopped and looked at me and she said, “Does this mean I do not have to take a nap?” I asked her “What would you like to do?” She answered, “sing and dance.”
Well then, sing and dance it is! To me, as a mother, joy is the best noise ever.
When was the last time your child made a joyful noise?
Let us pray, Lord, I praise you today for every blessing, every surprise, and every joy.
I love the sound of joyful children in the home. The home is their’s to express themselves and for us to be in awe of this part of God’s creation. We can take that beauty in our hearts when we enter those sacred spaces where we have the chance to contemplate God’s wonders when he speaks to us in that sacred silence.