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Have You Ever Lost Your Hallelujah?
Selections from 1 Chronicles 15 and 16

Picture
     Do you have any idea how much music you’ve listened to during your lifetime?  Probably a whole lot!  There are so many kinds of music to enjoy.  We’ve all heard musicians play an instrument, like a piano, a flute, or a guitar.  We’ve gone to parades and enjoyed marching bands, and been to venues where we heard an orchestra play.   How many times have you been awed listening to musicians skillfully play their instruments?  
     Another way we make music is with our own voices.  Don’t parents rock and sing lilting lullabies?  Don’t little children learn some of their first songs in school?  I’d like you to raise your hand if you sing in the shower!  Keep your hand in the air if you sing along to the radio, or with headphones on. We’re grateful for our choir and those who sing solos.  I have a friend who’s sung on grand stages around the world as an opera singer.  I’m guessing that many of us have gone to see a favorite artist or band and sung along with the lyrics.   A few among us have been in a musical or community chorus.  If anyone has ever sung karaoke songs with friends, you may want to remain anonymous.     
      Music is wonderful, whether we use our voices, instruments, or both at the same time.  Music is also an important part of today’s Scripture lesson.  We heard about King David calling all of Israel to Jerusalem - there may have been upwards of a million people.  They formed a procession that began at their earlier, temporary place of worship and marched to a newly built Tabernacle in God’s holy city.  King David appointed the Levites, one of the 12 tribes of Israel, to be its permanent priests and caretakers, but before the dedication service was over, he instituted a change in worship.  
     He declared that from that day onward, a priestly choir and gifted musicians from the Levite tribe would do more than sing and make music for occasional parades.   They would remain in the Temple, leading worship, singing and playing music.  While this was exciting news for everyone, the Levites knew this would mean they had a much larger responsibility.      
     After the crowds and king left, the Levites had a lot to get organized.  They would have called a worship meeting and put on the top of their agenda: form a team with musical gifts, some to write song lyrics, others to create melodies for them.  Gifted singers had to be chosen and a variety of people found who could play a range of instruments.  A choir director had to be selected and a leader to guide the orchestra.  That is 4 different groups who had to meet, pray, plan and practice.   If you’ve ever been in a choir, or on a worship team, you might anticipate their next dilemma: finding a time when everyone could come to practice.   That’s always challenging!
       We all heard a portion of the Levites’ first, newly-composed worship song this morning; I think it’s beautiful.  Unfortunately, we’ve lost track of its original tune and what sort of instruments were played.  What was done faithfully was following King David’s directions as they created this original song:  they gave thanks to God and asked for God’s blessings.   He said every song they composed and sang needed these two elements.       
     I think it will come as no surprise that none of our worship music this morning was written or put to music by anyone in our church.   But we’re blessed to live in an age when praise music is abundant.  I feel confident that if King David were here with us, he would’ve loved our first song, “Raise a Hallelujah”!  Especially the “Sing a little louder” part.   Scripture tells us he was enthusiastic in worship, and that his singers offered loud praises to God, with cymbals and trumpets accompanying them.  That sounds to me like high-decibel praise music was the original soundtrack for worship services.  Who here would love that?   Some of us, maybe, but not everyone.
        This is a good reminder for us that praise and worship styles change.  The tempo and style one generation favors may not be what a younger one likes.     Some people prefer organ music, others piano, yet others a keyboard, guitars, and drums.  This list of preferences could easily go on and on.  What we need to remember though, is that these are merely helps: they aid us as we engage our hearts in the act of worship.  While King David loved the cymbals and trumpets, they were an accompaniment; his focus was to worship the Lord.     
      Earlier we sang a worship song called “We bring the sacrifice of praise to the Lord”.   I happen to really like that song, and when I think back over the umpteen times I’ve sung that over the years, I can’t remember what instrument usually accompanied it.   Piano, maybe the guitar?  A small organ?  Were tambourines used, or drums?   What does remain with me is the memory of feeling joyful… all else faded away.  At our best, we worship God with our whole hearts, in a pure and focused way.  
       We’ve all got our favorite praise songs.   I hope that after hearing today’s first song, “Raise a Hallelujah”, you might add that to your list of favorites.  
       The word “Alleluia” really is one THE highest, most joyful words a Christian can use to glorify God.  I love it when our voices and hearts unite when we sing alleluia in our sanctuary.   I believe that most weeks, most of us can easily do that - but not always.   Sometimes, some of us will falter when we try to say or sing Alleluia.  I can relate to that, and so could King David - can you?   And if there is trouble or burdens either in us or around us, can we come to worship and barely whisper a word?      
        Sisters and brothers in Christ, have you ever lost your Hallelujah?  Have you found you couldn’t praise or thank God?  If you have, I want to assure you you’re NOT alone.  There are times when we may lose our Hallelujah.
        This doesn’t happen randomly, or overnight - not often.  It’s gradual usually; we have small losses, some grief.   A larger hurt might shake us, or a health crisis.   Life’s assorted stresses never stop pressing in on us.   And if we let ourselves learn what is happening in the news all around the world, in our country and our community, that too is very hard to witness.  
       During the next four weeks in July my sermons will follow up on why we may lose our Alleluia, what can help restore it, and how we can be more resilient in the future. 
Thanks be to God, Amen!

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