With only a microphone in her hand, she walked to the center of the darkened stage. Before the musicians struck the first chord, before she uttered her first note, she closed her eyes for a moment hoping by the end of her song, by the time she finished singing her last note, she would have a “4 chair turn.” Or at least a “1 chair turn” – the sign that one of the four celebrity coaches had chosen her to be on their singing team on the popular television show called “The Voice.”

And so she sang. Pitch perfect. Every word of the lyrics sung without hesitation. It was just as she had imagined it would be, except when the music stopped, not one of the coaches had turned their chair.

Barely able to keep tears from flowing, her disappointment was visible, as the coaches spoke words of encouragement.

You have a beautiful voice.

Your pitch was perfection.

You have a gift.

But it isn’t just being able to sing beautifully to music.

You have to sing the song from the heart.

That was what she was missing, she didn’t sing from the heart. It wasn’t her lack tone or range. It wasn’t that her phrasing was out of sync. She had the precision, but she didn’t sing with heartfelt emotion that connects the words of the song to those who are hearing them.

Now I am the first to admit that I am not blessed with the gift of a beautiful singing voice. My range is narrow and I can easily sing off key. Certainly I would never qualify to sing on any stage, but I still can relate to the coaches’ advice when it comes to singing a song of worship to the Lord.

His concern is not how melodious our voices are or if we are able to sing every word of a worship song with precision. His desire is that we sing unto Him our words of praise “from the heart.” What we sing needs to connect to the One to whom we are singing. In fact, Paul admonishes us to:

“ . . . sing and make music from the heart unto the Lord.” (Eph. 5:19 NIV)

So whether it is during a church service and a time you are alone in prayer, our songs of worship to the Lord must not become routine. We must sing “from the heart” unto the Lord.

So next Sunday, when the musicians strike their first chord, when the worship team sings that first note, let’s not be an “audience.” Let’s join in, not just singing the lyrics of a song as part of a church service. Instead, let’s be inspired to participate by lifting up our voices, making music from our hearts unto the Lord. Let’s connect the words of the song to the One whom we worship. Remember, it is not how well we sing, but whether what we sing expresses the awe and love we have for the Lord.

The Apostle Paul was on his third missionary journey. And, he was compelled by the Spirit to go to Macedonia. Later “the Spirit compelled him to go to Jerusalem.”  (Acts 19:21; 20:22 NLT)

I love that phrase: compelled by the Spirit.

Paul was being led by the Holy Spirit. God’s divine will was being revealed to him not by an angelic vison nor a dramatic voice from heaven. He didn’t receive direction at a burning bush or at the foot of a quaking mountain.

He was simply compelled by the Spirit.

The revelation of God’s will for his next steps came in a very simple and quiet way – the Holy Spirit compelled him. The Spirit of God captivated his attention and built in him a divine desire – a desire accompanied by a confident peace, a desire revealing God’s gentle, but firm hand of direction pointing the way.

Paul didn’t require the spectacular or the dramatic in order to know God’s will for his next steps. He just tuned his spirit into the wavelength of God’s Spirit and heeded the compelling of the Holy Spirit.

Sometimes I think we miss out on following God’s quiet direction for our lives, because we think His direction has to be revealed to us in a dramatic or spectacular way. And it may.

But more often than not, the way that God leads us is by the compelling of His Spirit. We are led by God’s Spirit as He fills our hearts and minds with a compelling directive. It’s not a spiritual shout. It’s a quiet voice that stirs our hearts. And, if we quiet the noise of our lives and with intention, listen for His direction, He will compel us. He will direct our steps and show us the way!

For those reading “A Hand On My Shoulder,” Chapters 25-27 are three of my favorites.  They are a testament to God’s compelling power to lead and guide us, and in M.D. Beall’s case, to do so in very dramatic way.

Jesus had just received heartbreaking news.

John the Baptist had been beheaded by King Herod in a most ignoble way.  This was a blow to Jesus. He and John shared not only family ties (their mothers were cousins), but they shared a strong spiritual bond.

Their ministries were tied together. John’s ministry had prepared the way for Jesus. John, was the one who baptized him, the event God the Father used to announce that Jesus was His beloved Son. Both men knew the will of God for their lives and were being obedient to His will.

But now John was dead – murdered.  Sorrow filled Jesus’ heart. And, all he wanted to do in that moment was to be alone.

Away from the crowds.

Away from teaching and preaching.

Away from bantering with religious leaders.

He just wanted to go to the mountaintop alone and pray. To be comforted by prayer with His heavenly Father. So,

When Jesus learned what had happened, He got on a boat and went away to spend some time in a private place. “   (Matt. 14:13 Voice)

But the crowds followed Jesus. By the time he stepped off the boat, thousands had gathered.

Though Jesus wanted solitude, when He saw the crowds, He had compassion on them, and He healed the sick and the lame.                    (Matt. 14:14 Voice)

Then after hours of performing miracles of healing and deliverance, Jesus performed the mind-boggling miracle of feeding the people, over 4,000 in all, with just five loaves of bread and two fish.

All of these miracles are amazing, but what touched my heart was the amazing compassion demonstrated by Jesus.

Then, after the crowd had gone, Jesus went up to a mountaintop alone (as He had intended from the start). As evening descended, He stood alone on the mountain, praying.  (Matt. 14:23 Voice)

When everything within him clamored for solitude, because he was moved with compassion he pushed aside his own needs and attended to the needs of the thousands who followed him.  His compassion moved him to action.

Lord, help me demonstrate this kind of compassion in my life. Even when I am weary, even when I am overwhelmed by the affairs of my life, let me be so moved with compassion that I respond with action.  Give me eyes to see the needs of others and to respond not just with compassionate feelings but with acts of compassion.

She stands at the edge of the pool – at the deep end.

Her mom is waiting with open arms for her daughter to jump in, but the little girl hesitates. One moment ready to jump into the deep water, the next stepping back in fear.

In the shallow end, where her feet touch the bottom, she swims for hours. She jumps in without hesitation. She can float on her back with ease. Using her arms and legs, she propels her body from one side of the pool to the other. But now she is at the deep end where the water is over her head, where she can’t touch the bottom.

At the edge of the pool she has a choice to make – a choice of trust.

Will she trust her mother’s arms will keep her safe in the deep water?

Will she trust what she has learned to do in the shallow end, that she will be able to do in the deep water?

It may not be at the deep end of a pool, but we too can find ourselves facing the same choice of trust when God wants us to go deeper. When He wants us to take that next step in our spiritual journey, to move beyond where we have become comfortable, to step out in faith into a new area of service or ministry. To swim in waters that are over our heads where our feet can’t touch the bottom.

Can we trust God to be with us in the deep?

Can we trust what God has already taught us to be part of His plan to take us deeper?

Can we trust that God’s will is better than what we “will,” even when our present isn’t leading us to the future we expected?

In the book of Hebrews, we read about believers who were content to stay in the shallow end – to remain spiritual “babies” at a time when they should have been spiritually mature.

“By this time you ought to be teachers yourselves, yet here I find you need someone to sit down with you and go over the basics on God again, starting from square one—baby’s milk, when you should have been on solid food long ago! Milk is for beginners, inexperienced in God’s ways; solid food is for the mature, . . ” Heb. 5:12-14 MSG

Our relationship with God must not remain static. Our faith must continue to grow and mature, which will require us to make the choice of trust and jump into deep waters.

Instead of fearing the deep, we need to embrace the challenges of the deep.

Instead of flailing in fear and panic, we need to rest in His promise to never leave or forsake us.

He arms are ready to catch us. He will keep our heads above the water. He will help us “swim” in the deep waters. We just need to trust God and jump!