We Sing For God by Annika Stertz

   There is real power in music. It is a universal language woven through melody that can touch even the hardest hearts. Its beauty can lead us to feel pain, joy, hope, and loss all at once in an unexplainable way. 

    As the season for "Let the Children Praise" approaches, I am consistently reminded of the beauty of the musical language that surrounds me, and all the beautiful voices, young and old, that join together to make “beautiful sounds” as Mr. Hawkins calls them. Beautiful voices, instruments, pieces, and talented musicians coming together to translate the notation on paper into a language that listeners can understand and love. Yet none of these qualities and talents are unique solely to "Let the Children Praise." Quite the contrary. Hundreds of choirs across the world have beautiful voices, instruments, pieces, and talented musicians. So what sets "Let the Children Praise" apart from many other choirs with such incredible talent? The answer lies within the program's name, "Deo Cantamus,” Latin for "We Sing for God." That is our aspiration. To give glory to the God who breathed melody into our vocal cords, and the God who is in control of this universe holding it up with the power of his word. That God is worthy of our humble human praise. 

   Before every performance, before the stage lights come on and the auditorium seats are filled, we pray that our voices and hearts are God-focused. It is not only a prayer and desire for us as singers but for every single member of our audience. This creates a different kind of performance, one I pray resonates with the audience, as we together partake in the joy of praising God through the enjoyment of unified voices and hearts worshiping the great I Am. 

  As I stand on the stage surrounded by every choir member singing their hearts out, and as I look at the audience, every member joined in the worship of God, I often wonder if this is what Heaven will be like. The voices I hear around are very few in comparison to how many myriads of believers will be there singing to and for God. The sounds echoing across the auditorium, though beautiful, will pale in comparison to the perfect voices motivated purely by affection and adoration for God echoing on into eternity. There we will truly be able to sing for God at his feet as he sits enthroned in glory. The day of our concert is certainly exciting, but imagine for a moment, as best as our finite minds can, what a day that will be. 

Annika is seventeen years old and this will be her seventh and final year in "Let the Children Praise."