I read this cool story recently. It may or may not be true.
In a certain tribe in Africa, when a woman becomes pregnant, she gathers a few friends and goes to a quiet place.
There they wait until they receive the “song” of the newly conceived child. She teaches it to others and when the child is born the village sings his/her song. At every major stage of the child’s life, his song is sung.
This is a nice story but if true, this could lead to some major existential problems.
What if your mother sings like a donkey braying? What if she’s not very poetic? What if she didn’t want to be pregnant? What if you are the seventeenth child and she’s about sung out? What if she’s mad at you father?
You could be in for some problems in life. Your song would inflict pain on you and all its hearers.
It Really Happened
Something similar actually happened once. A woman named Rachel had a horrible time giving birth. As she lay dying she named the newborn, “Benoni,” which means, “Son of my sorrow.”
Can you imagine going through life introducing yourself as the reason for your mother’s death? “Hi, my name is Benoni. Pleased to meet you.”
Fortunately for the little fellow his father Jacob came to his aid, and overruled the name of pain that his mother tried to give him. Daddy named him, “Benjamin,” which means “Son of the right hand.”
Benjamin became a great man.
Wonder what would have happened if he had trudged through life with the name his mama tried to stick on him? The song of his life might have been different.
Singing Your Song
This is just speculation but I wonder if God doesn’t sing a song that’s just “us”, just ours, all through our life.
When we’re conceived, he sings it. “Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in your Book they all were written, the days fashioned for me, when as yet there were none of them.
“How precious also are your thoughts to me O God! How great is the sum of them.” Psalm 139:16, 17 NIV
Later, when I realized that my sin had separated me from God but that Jesus’ sacrifice on the Cross made it possible for me to come to Him, I don’t know if the Lord sang my song or not, but I sang. He gave me a new song–praise to God. (Psalm 40:1-3)
At times I’ve screwed up and I figured that God must be through with me. I still heard the song, though. I looked up and He lifted me up.
When discouragement sat on me like a ten-ton elephant, suddenly I heard the song and new life infused me.
Sometimes the devil attacks me and I’m afraid he’ll tear me to bits. Like a cowboy watching over the herd at night, I hear Jesus’ voice singing and I settle down, knowing He’s watching me.
“You are my hiding place; You will protect me from trouble and surround me with songs of deliverance.” Ps. 32:7, NIV.All during our life, like a good husband for his wife, like a good father for his children, God sings for us. “For the Lord your God is living among you. He is a mighty savior. He will take delight in you with gladness. With his love he will calm all your fears. He will rejoice over you with joyful songs.” Zephaniah 3:17, New Living Version.
Having a hard time believing God loves you? Look at that verse! He even gets a little silly and starts singing for you, He loves you so much.
The other night I was speaking in southeastern France. Since there were English and French speakers present the message was going to be translated. When I told the the young lady who was going to translate the story about the song, she said, “My mother made a song for me when I was born.”
So, at the appropriate moment in the message we asked mama to come up and sing her song. She sang of how she was surprised and happy to find out that Eva was coming and both cried as she sang to her 25-year old daughter, “You’re so beautiful.”
If you’d stop and really, really listen, I wouldn’t be surprised if you heard God singing your song to you.
Salvation, restoration, deliverance, love—He’s singing.
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Hmmm …
Elizabeth Elliot: “Don’t dig up in doubt what you planted by faith.”
No. For once, I was awake. (My eyes were probably crossed trying to understand, but awake I was). What the teacher told us was that when Joe and Bill communicate Joe has his idea of Bill—Joe’s Bill. 
