The Song of Redeeming Love

"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the Lord Jehovah is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation" (Isaiah 12:2).

I read this last night and it hit me: The Lord is my song. My Song. What a fitting title for Jesus Christ especially at Christmas time when we celebrate His birth through song. I sing when my heart is joyful. I think that when the scriptures refer to the Song of the Lord, they are referring to the joy we feel when we are close to Him and recognize His goodness. When we feel God's forgiveness, it is difficult to hold our emotions inside. Sometimes, the best way to express our joy in His redemptive power is through song.

After the angel announced the birth of the Lord Jesus Christ to the shepherds, Luke tells us, "And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men" (Luke 2:13-14).

I believe that the angels of heaven were filled to overflowing with joy that the prophecies had been fulfilled and the Messiah had been born. Their songs filled the heavens that holy night.

I love this psalm, which in itself is a song: "I waited patiently for the Lord; and he inclined unto me, and heard my cry.

"He brought me up also out of an horrible pit, out of the miry clay, and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings.

"And he hath put a new song in my mouth, even praise unto our God: many shall see it, and fear, and shall trust in the Lord" (Psalms 40:1-3).

The process described here is one that each of us experiences. We cry and reach out to the Lord and He hears us. He redeems us from hell and sets us on a true path. It is then that He puts a new song, a song of praise, in our mouths. He becomes the song of our hearts. The great challenge is to keep the new song alive in our hearts.

"And now behold, I say unto you, my bretheren, if ye have experienced a change of heart, and if ye have felt to sing the song of redeeming love, I would ask, can ye feel so now?" (Alma 5:26).

I know I've gone through times when my joy in the mercy of the Lord is overwhelming. And there are other times when I don't feel like singing. There are things I can do to keep His song, to keep Him, in my heart.

The Lord said, "For my soul delighteth in the song of the heart; yea, the song of the righteous is a prayer unto me, and it shall be answered with a blessing upon their heads" (Doctrine and Covenants 25:12).

Because I play the piano, I am often (very often) asked to accompany during our various church meetings. When I was younger, this could sometimes get a little monotonous. But through playing the hymns I have felt my testimony of Jesus Christ strengthened. Music is powerful. It is a way to pray, to rejoice, and to express our gratitude for a loving Savior. I believe that to feel the Song of Redeeming Love in our hearts is to feel the presence of Jesus Christ in our lives.