From somewhere deep in the pines a songbird sings. As the stars end their evening song, the bird begins her’s, continuing the perpetual praise. Up and down the scale her voice serenades in the dark, singing promises of morning light. Black as ink are the woods at this time of the night but soon, beams of morning light will crack open the eastern horizon revealing a new day.

 

My eyes slowly open at the sound of song in the pines. Then, as if waiting for sleep to release me, burdens draw near and whisper their plans for the day.

 

Thoughts of bills, decisions my children are facing, and how to strengthen relationships in my life; then remembering the grass that needs to be cut and edged, groceries purchased, and finding time to exercise, all come running to the front of my thoughts.

 

Funny how that happens; before feet touch the wooden floor, my mind rolls over and embraces the thoughts tossing wildly in the dark. I want to be the songbird, high above it all singing into my darkness. From the depths of my being I want a fount of praise to rise before the sun and spill out for all to hear.

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What was I taught in church? To take these thoughts captive, tether them, and put into their proper place?

 

The songbird has never had Sunday lessons in the theology of praise; it comes from deep within her. It is embedded in the weave of her marrow, rising up despite the dark of night, to sing. To her it is like breath, it is something she must do to live.

 

As thoughts of the day interrupt each other, vying for attention and clamoring for position, I hear a song coming from the spirit deep within me:

 

Holy Spirit You are welcome here,
Come flood this place and fill the atmosphere.
Your glory God is what our hearts long for,
To be overcome by Your presence, Lord”

 

My spirit hears the praise, and choosing the song of heaven over the cry of earth, my spirit joins in the refrain.

 

“Holy are you Lord, Holy.” I whisper in the dark. Once I release my voice in Worship the world begins to change. For God abides in the praises of His people. What darkness, dread or burden can stand in the presence of love, light and laud?

 

We are His people, set apart to worship. It is in our deep, our marrow, embedded in our soul. The spirit within us leads us to the way to praise and worship. A honing device placed in us with our first breath – The part of us that hears the melody of heaven, if we will only listen.

 

Worship is as natural as steam rising on a hot summer day. It is a part of us. Worship is our spiritual art expressing our heart to God.(tweet this). If only we will let go, it would pour from us like water from a clay pot, pure and unfiltered by theology.

 

There is a place early in the morning and throughout the day, and even in our darkest places, that our spirit longs for the presence of The Lord. When we surrender to that primal need, then our soul will begin to sing like a songbird in the night.

 

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“Let me hear in the morning of your steadfast love, for in you I trust. Make me know the way I should go, for to you I lift up my soul.” Psalms 143:8

 

 

(Holy Spirit – Lyrics by Bryan and Katie Torwalt)

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Diane W. Bailey is the founder of The Consilium – an online community of wisdom and purpose for women over 45 years of age. She is a published author. Her books include String of Pearls – From Tears to Treasure, and 30 Days To A Better Stepfamily. She creates her own line of precious metals bracelets. Diane lives in the Deep South with her husband Doc. Together they have created a stepfamily, each having two stepchildren and two birth children, and share three grandchildren, one black lab named Charlie and one long haired tabby cat named Lil Girl. Diane’s passion is to encourage women to be all God has created them to be by pressing past fear and daring to live life as an adventure. Some of her life adventures include traveling to Israel, speaking, entrepreneurship and backyard farming with Doc. She loves Gumbo, fried shrimp and seeing all sunsets across water.

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