Do you like noise?
Of course not.
Are you sure?

Let’s start with noise we don’t like. That’s pretty easy.
Garbage disposal = 80 decibels = annoying.
Jackhammer = 100 decibels = damage to ears.
Jet taking-off = 150 decibels = ruptured eardrums.

But is there noise we actually like—so much so that the louder, the better?

Ever been to a football game? The loudest roar at a sports stadium was recorded by fans of the Seattle Seahawks at 137.6 decibels, according to Guinness World Records.

Now that’s loud.

If you’ve ever been part of a crowd at a big game, you’ve experienced the adrenaline rush. The music, the stomping of the feet, the cheering, the clapping—all coming together to form…

Noise. Yes, noise.

But how sweet is that noise? You might even call it beautiful noise. Maybe that explains why God calls us to make some noise now and then.

“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all the earth: make a loud noise, and rejoice, and sing praise” (Psalm 98:4).

Hmm. We see the word “noise” twice in that verse. As if God’s saying, “Just in case you didn’t think I really meant ‘noise,’ let me throw in a colon and repeat it. I’ll even add an adjective—loud noise—just so there’s no confusion.”

But unlike a garbage disposal, jackhammer or jet—which, at best, are annoying and, in the worse case scenario, can even cause bodily injury—is God asking for a good kind of noise? Maybe even desirable noise?

Moses is known for a lot of things—a humble servant, a chosen prophet, a great leader. But a singer? A man who described himself as “slow of speech, and of a slow tongue” (Exodus 4:10) probably wasn’t much of a crooner.

Yet “Moses and the people of Israel sang…to the Lord” (Exodus 15:1) after God got them safely to the other side of the Red Sea. Even if Moses could carry a decent tune, you’re talking about a million people—more like 3 million when you count women and children. Just think about trying to coordinate a choir of that size?

Okay, maybe not everyone participated. But even if it was just 1 percent, you’re still looking at 30 thousand people. There’s no way everyone was singing in the same key. Staying together must have been nearly impossible. And throw in those who were singing louder than the rest of the group but everybody else wished they didn't—you know, the ones who have more heart than ability—and, well, you can just imagine.

Noise.

Or consider the reaction when the Ark of God was brought back to Jerusalem.

“David and all the people of Israel were celebrating before the Lord with all their might, singing songs and playing all kinds of musical instruments—lyres, harps, tambourines, castanets, and cymbals” (2 Samuel 6:5).

Does that sound like a peaceful, reverent scene? Notice the wording: all their might and all kinds of musical instruments. No carefully choreographed moves here. No rehearsals. This was a spontaneous reaction of pure joy.

“David danced before the Lord with all his might” and there was “much shouting and blowing of trumpets” (2 Samuel 6:14, 15).

Yeah…more noise.

Is that the kind of noise God wants from us—a passionate response that just can’t be held back, no matter how hard we try? The reaction is so spontaneous there’s no time to be calculated. No stopping to think about it. No taking the time to plan and carefully orchestrate every note, every move.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not suggesting we should do away with the beautiful services that take place at thousands of churches every week. But does God want something more now and then?

Yes.

“Make a loud noise,” He commands.

So, where’s that loud noise in my life—the kind that Moses and David made? What did they have that I don’t have? What did they know that I don’t know? What did they experience that I’m not experiencing?

I’m going to suggest that it comes down to one critical factor: my heart.

God’s not interested in the perfection of my pitch or the smooth movements of my dance. While I’m sure He appreciates it when we use our talents to worship Him in a more polished way, what He really wants is my heart—all of it.

When I love Him with all my heart—completely surrendering my life to Him—He can finally start working in my life. Just like He did with Moses and David. Out of their love for God, they had a natural desire to be faithful to Him and to obey Him. They didn’t just stop at knowing what He wanted them to do but they actually did it. They submitted to His will over their own will. They weren’t perfect. In fact, both of them made some big mistakes. But ultimately, at the end of the day, they gave their hearts to God.

That’s how God was able to use them in mighty ways. And when that happens, our response will be so spontaneous and genuine—so raw—that the only way to describe it is…yep, you guessed it: noise.

Copyright 2014 Tony Yang. All Rights Reserved.