At The Top of My Lungs

I drove into the shopping center. All the normal eateries and big box stores had their signs that shouted their presence in the middle of this megalopolis they call Houston.
I parked the car.
Got out and started making my way toward the front doors of the latest church I would "check out" to see if this just might be the place where God wants me and my family to serve.
The greeters, who had big smiles on their faces were enthusiastically engaged with other visitors or perhaps friends as I walked into the foyer of this large church completely unnoticed and without a greeting of "Welcome to our Church." (Sidenote - As a pastor this drives me crazy when this happens. I wondered if I would make it out at the end of the service without anyone saying hello.)

I wandered around a bit looking at the various ministries and watching other people enjoy the joy of fellowship of knowing one another in the context of a church setting.
I went in and found a seat in the middle on the aisle about halfway to the front of the worship center.
No one else sat in my row of 15 chairs.
I felt quite lonely and quite alone.
Nothing worse than being in a large group of people where everyone else is laughing and carrying on great conversation and there you sit rereading your worship bulletin for the 5th time.

The five piece band started to play at the allotted time - 11:00 am.
And they were loud!
I mean really loud!
The bare, polished concrete underneath me and the unfinished ceiling above me created quite the echo chamber. The 1,000 plastic chairs only enhanced the reverberations.

The second song we sang is one of my favorites...

10,000 Reasons by Matt Redman...

The chorus goes like this...

Bless the Lord, O my soul
O my soul
Worship His holy name
Sing like never before
O my soul
I'll worship Your holy name

When we got to the line: Sing like never before

I did just that!!

For the first time in my life in a church setting...
I sang
AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS!!!
I mean...
AT THE TOP OF MY LUNGS!!!

My iWitness...

When was the last time you sang a song about God at the top of your lungs?

With the music being so loud, the invitation to sing at the top of my lungs could not have been more obvious. I took full advantage of it.

In the midst of feeling a little out of place in a new worship venue, stinging a little bit from not being greeted and my butt hurting from sitting in a flimsy plastic chair, I stood up and felt the presence of God fill me up with enough oxygen to blast His praise at the top of my lungs. God is worth singing to at that volume regardless of my circumstances, feelings and issues!

Rarely have I felt so liberated, so blessed, so full of joy, so uninhibited, so beside myself in singing as loud as my voice would project. Maybe it was a good thing no one else sat near me!!

I felt a new kinship to and appreciation for my namesake David as he writes in the Psalms:

Shout for joy in the Lord, O you righteous!
Praise befits the upright.
Give thanks to the Lord with the lyre (or acoustic, electric and bass guitar!);
make melody to him with the harp of ten strings!
Sing to him a new song;
play skillfully on the strings, with loud shouts. (Psalm 33. 1-3)

The church service was over after 90 minutes of singing, praying, preaching, more singing and then communion.
I walked out with no one saying anything to me...
It didn't matter...
My heart was too full to care otherwise!
I had done something with God I had never done before...
I shouted for joy...
I gave thanks to God...
I sang to Him a new song...
I sang "like never before"...
At The Top of My Lungs!!

And that's my iWitness
Laugh often and Fear not!
David!