A Subversive Act of Joy

Another election has come and gone, and the chief topic I heard from people was not about the political issues at stake, but the nature of the campaigns. Character attacks, mudslinging and name-calling prevailed. Evil has a way of baiting us to crawl into the cave of fear and pessimism.

Let me suggest a more radical political option. In the face of the nattering nabobs of negativity, sing a hymn. Start with this one, by Robert Lowry.

My life flows on in endless song, above earth’s lamentation.
I hear the sweet, though far off hymn that hails a new creation.
Through all the tumult and the strife, I hear the music ringing.
It finds an echo in my soul – how can I keep from singing?

Hymn singing is not an escape, it’s a subversive act of joy. Hymn singing is an affirmation of faith. Hymn singing is a form of protest against the powers of evil. Hymn singing is a declaration of resistance.

I’m preaching this Sunday on a text from the Old Testament book of Lamentations:

The thought of my affliction and my homelessness is wormwood and gall! My soul continually thinks of it and is bowed down within me. But this I call to mind, and therefore I have hope: The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. (Lamentations 3:19-23)

This text inspired another great hymn/subversive act of joy, written by Thomas O. Chisholm.

Great is your faithfulness, O God, Creator, with you no shadow of turning we see.
You do not change, your compassions they fail not; all of your goodness forever will be.
Great is your faithfulness! Great is your faithfulness! Morning by morning new mercies I see.
All I have needed your hand has provided. Great is your faithfulness, God unto me!

How inspiring it was last Sunday to hear our choir and orchestra play Lauritsen’s “Eternal Light” as we grieved the death of all our saints. What a joy it was for me to take my daughter Rachel, 19, to vote in her first election yesterday. She left the polling place singing! My younger daughter Emma, 17, reminded me last night that she’ll be eligible to vote in the next election.

Turn up the volume on joy. How can we keep from singing?

P.S. "Nattering nabobs of negativism" is from a speech given by Spiro Agnew, written by William Safire. The classics never go out of style.