Sing a new song to God and see His Love, protection, and healing power

We are taught, "Whom the Lord loveth He chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom He receiveth;" therefore rejoice in tribulation, and welcome these spiritual signs of the new birth under the law and gospel of Christ, Truth.”1

At a time when things seemed very dim and dismal, living in a basement with no job but lots of resentment, the word ‘sing’ wasn’t in my vocabulary.  To say the least I wasn’t rejoicing in this tribulation at all!  I was desperate for a sense of happiness and purpose. But I wasn’t being obedient to the realization that I needed a higher spiritual view, a “new birth under the law and gospel of Christ, Truth.” Looking everywhere in my study books, The Holy Bible and the Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures by Mary Baker Eddy, I struggled for a sense of peace, purpose and joy.

On a Wednesday evening I headed for church for the testimonial service.  A mid-week service that includes readings from the above mentioned books, as well as testimonies of healings and sharing by others of better understanding gained through their study of Christian Science. The service was on a theme of singing a new song to God.  I could truly say as I sat there that if I was ‘singing’ to God it was more mournful and whining than actual singing and rejoicing.

One of the readings was, “O sing unto the Lord a new song: sing unto the Lord, all the earth. Sing unto the Lord, bless his name; shew forth his salvation from day To-day. Declare his glory among the heathen, his wonders among all people. For the Lord is great, and greatly to be praised: he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the nations are idols: but the Lord made the heavens.”2

The testimonies were uplifting, the realization of what I was doing daily, hourly, weekly wrong was pointedly pronounced in my prayerful thought.  When I left the church service I had a renewed sense of what I needed to change in my daily thoughts and activities, a renewed sense of ‘How to’ that I needed to express better and learn more about.  On the way home the road was a dark two lane road.  Singing a new song in my croaky off key voice a glimmer of hope and happiness started shining through to me.  At one point I was even loving God and giggling at myself, rejoicing in the fact that I could change my tune and be more cheerful, despite my living conditions.  As I was singing and thinking I realized, yes I was in a basement but it was filled with art, beautiful light, comfortable furniture, and it was actually a very pleasant setting.  This is a far cry from my former dismal view.

As I was singing and praising God I came to a light that was placed on a one lane bridge that was under construction.  It was dark, lonely and kind of scary sitting there at the red light all by myself out in the country.  I started singing prayerful thoughts about how I wasn’t alone but was embraced in Love, surrounded by God. Bright lights from a car coming up very fast at me caught my attention.  Their speed implied that they didn’t realize that I was stopped completely at the light.  Turning my thought to God and the song I had just been prayerfully singing, the thought came to me that I was safe, I wasn’t alone in the dark but completely in His, God’s protective arms.  It was getting to the point that I looked for exit strategies if the car got much closer at his high speed.  Just as I was about to make my move, driving my car into a ditch, the other car slammed on his breaks and stopped just short of hitting my car by a couple of feet.  Sitting there, I sang more praises to God and His protection for all of His beloved children.  Being so grateful that I didn’t have to go for the ditch, the other car didn’t have to hit me or hurt himself, that all does move in accord to God’s harmonious Being.

I’m deeply grateful for that night.  Within a few weeks a business was started, a house was purchased, and new lessons were being learned.  I can truly say that through the years sense I have gained a firmer hand on happiness, trust, love, and singing better and more consistent prayers to God.

“I will sing a new song unto thee, O God: upon a psaltery and an instrument of ten strings will I sing praises unto thee.

It is he that giveth salvation unto kings: who delivereth David his servant from the hurtful sword.3

Joyful hug

1 Miscellaneous Writings by Mary Baker Eddy page 18 lines 3-7
2 Psalms 96:1-5
3 Psalms 144: 9, 10