December 3, 2011
There was a man who couldn’t sing refused to quit the church choir despite hints that he could serve in other capacities. Finally, the choir director demanded that the pastor get rid of him. “If you don’t, I’m going to resign, and so will the other choir members,” the director said. When the pastor suggested the man leave the choir, the fellow asked, “Why should I?”
“Well,” said the pastor, “five or six people have told me that you can’t sing.”
“That’s nothing,” the man replied. “Fifty people told me you can’t preach!”
We know that Wendy Quan can sing! I may still have trouble preaching, but Wendy can sing.
When we are born, we are blessed with a voice that comes out of our mouths that we use to eat and to talk. And for some people gifted by God, they use this same voice to sing. Voices are Godly since God only used his voice to bring the entire creation into being. Moses used his voice to call the people out of slavery in Egypt. The psalmist used his voice to sing praises to the Lord. The prophets used their voices to call for repentance and righteousness. Mary sang to the Lord when she realized that she would serve God by being pregnant with the Christ Child. The angels used their voices to sing in the heavens that Jesus Christ is born. John the Baptist used his voice to cry out in the wilderness. And Jesus used his voice to call out demons, heal the sick, and forgive sins.
And we know very well that when someone loses his or her voice, it’s not only frustrating but we are deprived of hearing from that person’s gift of music and thoughts.
Today we thank the Lord for Wendy’s beautiful voice that she has used to bring beautiful music to our ears. She works hard to train her God given voice so that the whole world may be blessed with her singing. We pray that her life will continue to be dedicated to the work of Christ so that wherever God may lead her—ancient Roman amphitheatre in Caesarea or at a Christmas concert in Berkeley or on a choir tour in Europe or in the little and humble sanctuary of her home church in San Francisco Chinatown, that she will always make a joyful noise with her voice to the Lord.
Wendy, sing to the Lord a new song; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day” (Psalm 96:1-2).
Grace
Gracious God, thank you for the blessings of living well, using our God-given gifts in service to humanity, and the beauty of life-long friends who travel with us through the years. Bless this food we are about to eat so that it will sustain us yet for another tomorrow of faithful living and life of good deeds. Continue to bless your child, Wendy as she serves you with grace and gladness. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.