We sometimes sing, “In Your hands, Lord I place today, tomorrow. In Your hands, Lord I surrender all” (Allan Kirton). In a recent Parish day of recollection, I urged everyone to not only sing the hymns with open mouths, but also with open hearts and minds. The Lord accepts our praise, whether we sing well or not. But it is a sham to offer ‘empty’ praise, when our lips are moving but our minds and hearts are far from Him. Like scripture, we should take time to meditate on the words of worship we offer to God in song. These words provide a barometer for our faith lives. In this current Covid-19 crisis, do we believe that God has “all our future” and is “walking beside us” when we sing Kirton’s hymn? If we believe with all our heart what we sing with our lips, “We need You to guide us, every step of the way,” then why should we be afraid or anxious? We have a powerful example of trust and surrender in today’s reading (Dn. 3). Shadrach, Meshack and Abednego loved God and worshipped Him alone. When their faith was put to the test by the King, they placed their lives ‘in God’s hands’ as they were placed in the fire. They were all delivered from harm. Despite the raging ‘fire’ of Covid-19, if we sing with our lips and trust with our heart, we will see God’s salvation in our lives. Lord Jesus, may my lips proclaim Your praise, my heart believe what I sing, and my mind take courage in Your power to deliver me. Amen.

READINGS

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/040120.cfm