a joyful noise indeed

One of the things that I love the most is the way the Swazis worship. Actually this usually happens everywhere else in the world, except in the US. But the Swazis will praise Jesus with everything they have. They will sing at the top of their lungs, using every ounce of energy they have. It is a beautiful sound. What’s even crazier is that everyone here can sing! No one here has a bad voice. And they harmonize so naturally. Even the little kids who can barely talk, but when they sing it’s a sound unlike any other. I haven’t quite figured out how everyone here can sing but not everyone in the states can sing (even though they like to think they can). It’s almost like God knew that these people wouldn’t have access to pianos, guitars, drums, or anything else to make their music even more elaborate, so He just gave them all beautiful voices so their worship would be something unique to them. That way when they worship it would be a beautiful sound to everyone who hears. It catches your attention. It makes you stop and listen. Even though I don’t know the words I can be a part of their worship service. I can worship right along with them because it is so uplifting and just amazing. And everyone sings….no matter what. To start the next song, someone just starts singing. It doesn’t matter who, what age or if they are male or female. They don’t have a worship leader because they all are so involved in their worship service. The songs last for a while too. They just keep singing and singing, repeating the same lyrics over and over again. There is no set amount of time for a song. It’s so different to be a part of these worship services then what I am used to. These people love to worship!! They don’t want it to ever end. It seems like people in churches in the US aren’t even singing along or truly participating because they just want it to be over. This is mostly because they aren’t coming into the worship with the correct mindset because they don’t understand who they are worshipping or why they are worshipping or maybe it’s because they don’t know how to worship and don’t feel comfortable worshipping because they feel as though everyone is watching them. And they care more about what over people think of them then worshipping their Savior. Honestly, I even get caught up in this mindset. But being around these people, God is teaching me that it doesn’t matter who is watching, JUST WORSHIP. With everything I have. Because after all He is done, isn’t He worthy of my worship? My adoration? There is nothing else I should be doing...just worshipping Him.