By Cheryl Saur of Saint Charles, Missouri, USA

Praise the Lord, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples! For great is his steadfast love toward us, and the faithfulness of the Lord endures forever. Praise the Lord!

It was a very hot and humid day in early June with temperatures already above 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The sun relentlessly bore down on me as rivers of sweat rolled down my back and neck. I stood in silence at the edge of a roughly designed stone labyrinth. It was mid-week during a church reunion/family camp in south Texas USA. I had come to reunion with good friends, which was a joy for me. But now my heart was heavy. Not having directed this type of camping event myself, I could not know what challenges were involved with planning worships and music. I was saddened by the lack of music with only a few hymns being sung during worship services. I only knew that my heart was heavy with disappointment and I needed to sing.

You see…I was born into a family of singers and as a child, I learned to sing standing next to my mother during church and reunions. As a family, we would gather around the piano in the dining room and sing hymns in harmony. Hymns always brought me joy, and singing was always healing. So, on that very hot and humid afternoon during the rest period, I grabbed the newly published gold Sing a New Song hymn book and headed down the hill to the stone labyrinth. As I stood facing the river, I sang through the entire book. My heart was lifted, and as I completed the labyrinth circuit, my soul was filled with joy!

What action inspires you when your heart is heavy? What inspires your song?

“…Let us bring the gifts that differ, and in splendid, varied ways, sing a new church into being, one in faith and love and praise” (CCS 330, “Summoned by the God Who Made Us”).

Prayer Phrase

“Bear one another’s burdens…” (Galatians 6:2).

Spiritual Hunger

Jesus discerned hungers of body and spirit, and he fed them through a physical, verbal, spiritual ministry of presence. In a time of listening prayer, ask God to help you discern physical or spiritual hungers of people in your congregation, community, and global family. Invite the Spirit to move you to one hospitable act that “feeds” someone’s hunger today.

Today’s Prayer for Peace

Engage in a daily practice of praying for peace in our world. Click here to read today’s prayer and be part of this practice of peace.