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by Toni Star
The 110th Psalm begins: “Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness: come before his presence with singing.” Many of us might find reciting this psalm hard to do when we’re in terrible physical or mental pain. Years ago, I would have found giving praise and glory when in pain impossible, an affront to my intellect and senses. It has only been with His grace and power, that I now see the importance in giving praise and thanks in all areas of life, regardless of the situation.
When we can “make a joyful noise unto the Lord” in any situation, we will find a direction and a peace “that passes all understanding.” When you can glorify God when everything and everyone around you looks dismal and lost, that is when God will lift you up and carry you through. It will be through your weakness and pain, that He will reveal His strength and power. As it is written in 2 Corinthians 12: 9-10: “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. .Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”
Just recently I suffered a persecution attack concerning my beliefs in Christ but was later vindicated in what Christ did for and through me. The person who tried to hurt and ridicule me, was herself, put down. Her sins were found out just as Christ said, “Be sure you sins will find you out.”
Thanksgiving has not always been a happy event for my husband and me. Our families on both sides abandoned us years ago, for reasons of their own, and many times we’ve celebrated Thanksgiving by ourselves. Most of the time, this has worked well, because we love and enjoy each other’s company but there have been times when separation from families at the holidays has been painful and lonely.
It was in the fall of 1985 when I felt a cloud of depression coming on, that I decided to do something about it. The holidays were approaching and I didn’t want my negativity to ruin the holiday. I wanted to make Thanksgiving that year happy and memorable. I decided to take a leap of faith and do some volunteer work at a local county home. My local YWCA director said that there was a great need for volunteers there and that they were looking for someone special, like me, to do it. I knew this was a sales pitch but I felt up to the challenge.
No one could have prepared me for what I faced that first day when I walked into that old, four story building. Many old, middle-aged and young people, people who were hurting and had no other place to turn to, solemnly greeted me. Most of the residents looked sad and walked aimlessly from room to room, person-to-person. Many were physically or mentally ill, some talking to themselves. Everywhere I turned there was a feeling of doom and gloom
As I walked the halls and felt the despair and pain, I questioned myself if I had taken on more than I could handle. As the days and weeks passed, I found that I was often the only one visiting them. It seemed no one cared about them; they had become the “forgotten” people.
It took weeks for them to feel comfortable with me and I with them. It wasn’t long, though before I began to see a difference in their attitudes and behaviors. Once they realized that I was interested in their well being, they began looking forward to my visits, talking and sharing with me. As the holidays approached; however, I wondered how I would handle their special needs and wants.
It was about two weeks before Thanksgiving when a little old woman named Sarah, bent over with arthritis, asked if I would come to their Thanksgiving service. She said that a local pastor would be coming to give a sermon and that there would be singing and giving praise, followed by cake and ice cream. I felt edgy about going but said, “Yes, of course, I’ll come.”
The service was beautiful and became more so when we all started to sing. A short, heavyset older man with Down’s Syndrome was handed a baton, walked toward the piano and on cue began directing the piano and our feeble attempts at singing. He waved his baton in a professional way, first slowly up and down and then faster, something he no doubt had practiced many times. He smiled all the way through and it wasn’t long before his happiness spread to everyone in the room.
I couldn’t hold back the tears, his performance was so beautiful! I felt guilty for feeling sorry for myself all those years of lonely Thanksgiving dinners. I saw before me, castaways, who no one wanted and yet they were happy, singing and sharing. When we sang the song, “Just as I am…” I couldn’t open my mouth to sing; I was filled with so much joy and thanksgiving!
As we continued singing, the 100th Psalm came to me. From their pain and
heartache but simple joy in the Lord, I now realized and appreciated those beautiful
words of praise. I no longer wait for someone to make me feel good about Thanksgiving
or any other holiday; I simply remember those beautiful people of the home and “Make a
joyful noise unto the Lord.
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