In 1959, the musical group, The Isley Brothers, released a song which has never stopped being a hit. That song is “Shout!”. It has been recorded by several artists since then and it is almost impossible to go to a dance featuring rock music without hearing it and dancing to it at least once. Here are the first few lines:
You know you make me want to (Shout)
Kick my heels up and (Shout)
Throw my hands up and (Shout)
Throw my head back and (Shout)
Come on now (Shout)
That is probably the way your soul felt when you first found God, the first time you let Jesus into your life. You were full of celebration, of joy, full of life. Maybe you are very demonstrative, very vocal and couldn’t wait to tell everyone what you found. Or, maybe you are quiet, internal, and felt the thrill of discovery fill you up like a cup filled to the brink of running over.
The knowledge and love of God, of his son, Jesus, may make you want to share it. I’m not talking about standing on some street corner, buttonholing every passerby, to tell them your story. Such a thing would be counterproductive in the extreme. (Just think how you would feel if you were the accostee!) Instead, be God’s instrument and let him guide you to those who need to hear what you have to say. Let him do the choosing, you do the telling. In this way, you can serve him, leading others to what you have found, what you have made a part of your life.
Psalm 100:1-5 starts put this way:
“Make a joyful shout to the Lord, all you lands.” (NKJV)
Let the way you live your life be your shout. Let the joy of your love for God, for his son, be integrated into what you do, what you are, so that it attracts those whom he wants you to bring his way.
