It's Okay to Sing Off-Key this Christmas Eve

“Oh come, let us sing to the Lord;

let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!” (Psalms 95:1,esv)

In her book In My Father’s House, Corrie Ten Boom used to tell a story about an old monk who sang a Christmas song every Christmas Eve for his brothers in the monastery, and for visitors who would come from the village for the special services. His voice was very ugly, but he loved the Lord and sang from his heart. One year the director of the cloister said,

“I’m sorry, Brother Don, we will not need you this Christmas. We have a new monk who has a beautiful voice.”

The man did sing beautifully, and everyone was happy. But that night an angel came to the superior and said, “Why didn’t you have a Christmas Eve song?”

The superior was very surprised. “We had a beautiful song,” he replied. “Didn’t you hear it?”

The angel shook his head sadly. “It may have been inspiring to you, but we didn’t hear in heaven.”

“You see,” Corrie would say, “the old monk with the raspy voice had a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus, but the young monk was singing for his benefit, not for the Lord.”

This Christmas sing with joy unto the Lord,

Sing with our heart and not just our voice,

Oh come; let us sing to the Lord,

To the rock of our salvation – let us make a joyful noise!

THINK BIG. START SMALL. GO DEEP.