The Sounds of the Morning...

One of the things I have come to enjoy in the early morning hours of the day, since moving into my apartment here in Tennessee, has been to step out on my balcony with a freshly brewed hot cup of coffee and enjoy the sun rising above the trees… and then over the apartment building across from mine.  I don’t know what it is… but there is nothing better than that first sip of java in the quiet still of the morning, before most people are up and out for the day!

The weather both yesterday and today has been gorgeous and muchly appreciated after another stretch of cold and wet weather.  So, as I stood near the open doorway to the balcony yesterday, I suddenly found myself being totally captivated by the Sounds of the Morning that seemed to encase and be clarified in my hearing like a quality set of noise cancelling stereo headphones.  After a few moments, I went back inside and grabbed my notebook so that I could write down the various sounds that were auditioning for me.

First there was the soft drone of distant traffic, then the gentle melody of wafting music, followed by the muffled sound of people talking somewhere below my room on the third floor and then off to the west, I could barely make out the familiar report of the commuter train whistle while its diesel engine crossed an unseen intersection on one of its morning runs to Nashville.  But my quiet symphony of calming music was suddenly interrupted by the uncomfortable discordant clash of loud, squeaky automobile brakes to my right.

The dissonant note was so incongruous to me that I had to break away from the orchestration outside and briefly return to the respite of my small apartment living room.  Once the irritation in my ears subsided, I took a calming breathe and stepped outside again.  This time around, all the other sounds melted away and I was drawn to the sweet, calming and gentle singing of the birds from their perches in the trees around my building.

As I leaned on the railing and absorbed the differing tones of the various melodies the different species of birds sang, I suddenly became aware of a song softly drifting through the open door from my computer on my desk.  When I stepped back in and sat down, I realized that the sound was emanating from the Southern Gospel channel I had clicked on earlier.

When my eyes focused in on the Sirius XM page opened on my screen, I understood what I believe the Lord was trying to show me!  It became like a moment of worship at church as the Southern Gospel group, Brian Free and Assurance sang the words:

“Behind my praise, there's a valley, God has brought me through

Behind my praise, there's a mountain I never thought I'd move

Behind my praise is a wilderness in bloom & I can't hold back

'Cause I've seen what God can do...

Because of God and His amazing grace

I live to tell the story behind my praise.”*

And then it all made sense to me.  You and I are able to enjoy and be gloriously mesmerized by the serendipity of the Sounds of the Morning that God broadcasts each and every day… right outside our front doors (or back door in my case)… because of the song that is in us and plays behind everything we hear, think, say and do.

As active and ever-growing Christians, the song that is in us… that is behind us… should be motivated and established by our Praise of God and His amazing grace that we can consistently experience in our personal lives!  Psalm 2:6-8 teaches us that,

“The Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding.  He stores up sound wisdom for the upright (that’s speaking of you and I), and is a shield to those (of us) who walk in integrity.  He guards the paths of justice and He preserves the way of His godly ones (& once again – that’s you and me).” (NASB – Ryrie Study Bible © 1976, 1978**)

From the WISDOM that He gives us through the regular personal study of His Word, attendance at a good Bible preaching and teaching church, sound Christian teaching books and fellowship with other believers, we gain the KNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTANDING we need to develop and amplify the song in us that is able to back us in every endeavor, challenge and situation that we face on a daily basis.

I really enjoy the Sounds of the Morning that greet me on my balcony every day… They encourage me to tell of the song that is behind my praise…

How about you?

Have a great weekend and listen closely for the Sounds of the Morning in your neighborhood!

 

*See: https://texasgospel.ca/2025/11/11/the-journey-of-faith-in-brian-free-and-assurances-behind-my-praise/

**Published by the Moody Bible Institute of Chicago