It is good to praise the LORD and make music to your name, O Most High … Psalm 92:1

Today’s Scripture Reading (June 4, 2016): Psalm 92 & 93

Songs get stuck in my head, sometimes good and sometimes … well, not so good. The current song is “Imela.” The chorus of the song just keeps ringing. “Imela! Imela! Okaka, Onyekeruwa. Imela! Imela! Eze m Oh.” The words are of Igbo origin, one of the four official languages of Nigeria.  And just so you know, these are the only Igbo words that I know. But there could be worse words to get stuck in your head. The English translation of the words are “Thank You! Thank You! Great and Mighty Creator of the World. Thank you! Thank you! My King.”

The second verse of the song says this:

           Who am I to sing Your praises?

Who am I to worship You?

It’s Your blood that makes the difference in me

And made a way to enter into Your throne

I could not come near Your presence

I could never sing Your song

But the sacrifice on Calvary's tree

is the reason I can cry out today

Imela … (Nathaniel Bassey)

Maybe the reason the song resonates with me is because it provides the bridge that I need to understand the gap that exists between the words of this Sabbath Psalm and the reality of my life. The psalmist is right, it is good to praise the name of God and to sing songs to him. This should be our reality as we begin to prepare to meet God in his holy Sanctuary. But the other side of the coin is that none of us have the right to go anywhere near his presence. We could never believe that we have the ability to sing his song. That privilege is for someone else – someone better than me.

But Jesus died on a cross to make a way for me into his presence. The reason that I have the privilege of making a noise (no one ever said that I have to be on key in order to sing) as I enter into his presence is because of what Jesus did for me. So, if that is true and I believe that it is, then what other words are there for me sing other than “Imela! Imela! Okaka, Onyekeruwa. Imela! Imela! Eze m Oh.” Thank you, Lord, for everything that you have done for me.

And if you would like to get “Imela” stuck in your head, you can find it here. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OzU_jT7Y_JA

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Psalm 94