“When they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.” Matthew 26:30

My husband and I have been on vacation in the mountains.  One particular night, we attended the “Country Tonight Show.”  In one part of the show, the singers honored legendary country stars, one being Merle Haggard.  I knew that my husband, Randy, was a fan of Mr. Haggard back in the day.  But I was completely caught off guard as he joined in singing, ever so loudly, every word to “Mama Tried!”  I couldn’t help but laugh and “shush” him at the same time.

In the passage above, Jesus and the disciples had just finished The Lord’s Supper. They gathered together to celebrate the Passover and their custom was to conclude the meal with singing a hymn or offering praise.  The Passion Translation says that usually, the selection was one of the Hallel psalms – Psalms 115-118. 

I found it ironic that Matthew included this detail.  Most men don’t usually like to give details so why was it important to include that they sang a hymn?  I believe it was vitally important for Jesus to lead them to sing at that precise moment.  Why?  Because Jesus knew what was coming.  The disciples did not.  Jesus knew the events that were about to unfold – His capture, the trial, the beatings and torture, His death, and the disciples’ separation from Jesus.  Yet, Jesus chose to sing.

If you look at chapters 115-118 in Psalms, you will see verses praising and worshiping God.  Verses declaring God’s goodness, His love, His hearing cries for mercy, His compassion, and so on.  Jesus knew the disciples would need the encouragement from the words to those psalms stirring in their hearts in the days ahead.  And so, they sang.

In the last few weeks, all of us have struggled in some form or fashion. Covid numbers and the new variant strain appears to be rising.  People are divided and confused on what choices to make of which I am not debating.  In our own personal lives, we have lost dear friends to cancer and Covid and now have some friends fighting for their life.  So quite honestly, singing and laughing has not been at the top of the list on my emotional scale until getting away for a week of rest and hearing my sweet man singing “Mama Tried.” 

I was reminded that if Jesus, the Son of God, who knew what was about to happen and what the disciples would experience, took the time to praise and worship God, then we must do the same.  After all, Jesus is our example of how to live our lives every single day to the fullest.

There is no denying the crisis that is going on in our world. However, we must not let fear win and rob us of our joy.  Jesus said in John 10:10, “The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full.”  The plan of the enemy is to rob us of the very life that Jesus died to give.  We must not cower down to the enemy!  Now is the time to fix our eyes on Jesus, trust His Sovereignty, and proclaim, ever so loudly, the goodness, faithfulness, mercy, compassion, and love of God through singing, worshipping, laughing, dancing, and living life!    Do we use caution and practice wisdom? Yes! But in doing so, we don’t stop the singing!