I Heard Angels Sing

 

      While in Guyana, March 13th-27th, we were again blessed to spend some time with our good friends Steve and Monica Foster. Steve is from California. He is in Guyana as a missionary. Monica is from Guyana. A few years ago they were married and are now a great missionary team. They have a beautiful spirit of hospitality, humility and service.

 

      A few months ago Monica's father died. He was a young man, in his early forties. Since his death many problems have arisen for Monica's family. As a result Steve and Monica opened their hearts and home to Monica's younger sister Verone (Veronica). She is a precious child thirteen years of age. She is loving and happy.

 

      Steve and Monica also opened their heart and home to a four year old foster child named Vanessa. Monica related a sad story which happened just after Vanessa came to live with them. Monica was shampooing Vanessa's dark black hair and Vanessa said she had never had her hair washed and shampooed before. Vanessa is a precious child. She smiles and participates in worship.

 

      Our crusade at Industry in Guyana was a blessing to many people. One special blessing to me was "I heard an angel sing." I was blessed to sit near Monica, Verone and Vanessa a couple of nights. Remember, Vanessa is four years old. As the songs were sung Vanessa was singing the words of almost every song. This four year old child knew and sung almost every song by memory. Her voice was beautiful. Her singing blessed my life. I know I heard an angel sing.

 

      As one footnote to the life of Steve and Monica, they had told me when I was in Guyana they were trying to have a child of their own. They sent an e-mail a few days ago to let me know Monica is pregnant. Please pray for this good family.

 

      Just after I returned from Guyana Janice and I went to north Alabama to visit family there. It was a blessing to see them again. My mother had surgery while I was in Guyana. I am grateful to all who prayed for her.

 

      We were also blessed to spend a few hours with our granddaughter, Bayley. Her laughter is contagious. She is a happy and pleasant child. She celebrated her second birthday while I was in Guyana.

 

      She enjoyed playing with us. She also enjoyed singing with Janice. She came outside to swing. When she and Janice got to the swing Janice asked her to sing with us. The three of us sang "Jesus Loves Me" together. I know I heard an angel sing.

 

      Her smile was beautiful. Her voice was precious. Her words were powerful. "Jesus loves me this I know for the Bible tells me so..." This precious little girl has already learned to sing and make melody in her heart. When I heard her sing I heard an angel sing. It is amazing how some simple act can be such a blessing to your life.

 

      As a footnote to Bayley, she will soon get a little brother or sister. Please pray for Mark and Holly and their family. God will also bless our oldest son Philip and his wife, Paige with a son in a few weeks. Please pray for them also.

 

      Though it is not our authority for singing today David stated a beautiful principle for singing in Psalm 95:1-7. "Oh come, let us sing to the Lord! Let us shout joyfully to the Rock of our salvation. Let us come before His presence with thanksgiving; Let us shout joyfully to Him with psalms. For the Lord is the great God, And the great King above all gods. In His hand are the deep places of the earth; The heights of the hills are His also. The sea is His, for He made it; And His hands formed the dry land. Oh come, let us worship and bow down; Let us kneel before the Lord our Maker. For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture, And the sheep of His hand. Today, if you will hear His voice."

 

      Christians are to sing joyfully. This singing is described in Ephesians 5:19. "Speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord."

 

      Our singing should be done out of a heart thankful to God for what He has done. If you are thankful for God's blessings, "Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord." (Colossians 3:16.) We should thankfully sing of God's love and our hope through Christ.

 

      We should praise God in song because He is: (1) The Rock of our salvation (Psalm 95:1), (2) The Great King above all gods (Psalm 95:3), (3) Strong, "the heights of the hills are His." (Psalm 95:4), (4) Our Creator (Psalm 95:6) and (5) Our Shepherd and "we are His sheep" (Psalm 95:7).

 

      Those who follow Christ should sing. (James 5:13.) This must be done from our heart and with understanding. As we sing, the melody is made in our heart instead of on some instrument of music.

 

            When I heard Vanessa sing and when I heard Bayley sing I truly heard angels sing. I now better understand why Jesus said, "Let the little children come to Me, and do not forbid them; for of such is the kingdom of heaven." (Matthew 19:14.)

 

By Charles Box, Walnut Street Church of Christ, P.O. Box 551 Greenville, Alabama 36037 USA

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