The Best Hallelujah Chorus

My dad’s strength and memory were failing.  I was struggling with the changes, but he was at peace and cheerful.  My dad had a beautiful voice and loved to sing hymns.  One day we were sitting at the table and He was unusually quiet and somber.  I didn’t know what to do so I got the hymnal, laid it in front of us, and flipped it open.  We knew the hymn on the page and started quietly singing. 

Normally we would flip through the book and find a song we liked or look up our favorites in the index.  But on this day my dad turned the page and we began singing the hymns in order.  When we came to a song we didn’t know one of us would say, “I don’t know that one. Do you?” and we’d go to the next song.  We were progressing like this for a while when there before us was the Hallelujah Chorus.  I was surprised.  I didn’t know it was in the hymnal. 

“Oh, The Hallelujah Chorus” I said, “that’s too hard.  We can’t sing that!”  But my dad surprised me.  “We can do it,” he said, “Let’s do it” he smiled.  And so, we started out, “Hallelujah… Hallelujah….”  We were bent over the pages. “For… the Lord God omni….potent reigneth…” we were making our way.  When we missed a note, and we missed plenty, we stopped, got our bearings and restarted.  When we came to the really fast and high “Hallelujahs” we were squeaking like mice and started to laugh.  We picked back up and started laughing again. 

With dual determination we pressed through the pages of that most famous song from Handel’s Messiah.  When we got to the final “Hallelujah” we were so happy.  And so proud of ourselves.  You would have thought we had sung like professionals and received an ovation at Orchestra Hall.

The Hallelujah Chorus.  We didn’t know we had it in us really.  But we did.  I noticed then the open window across from us, it was springtime after all.  And I smiled as I wondered what people in the neighboring apartments had thought if their windows were open as well.  I hoped we had given them something to smile about, a bit of joy in life’s certain struggles.  That Hallelujah Chorus day is one of my favorite memories of my dad in his final months.     

As we journey through this life, and turn the pages of our story, we will come across a challenge like the Hallelujah Chorus, a challenge we’re tempted to pass over, avoid or forgo.  We aren’t professionals after all and things look daunting.  We’re not sure we can keep the pace.  Or scale the heights.  And if we do, it won’t be pretty.  But that day my dad who was having trouble remembering and laboring to perform simple tasks looked at the page and said, “We can do it.  Let’s do it.” 

And so, in spite of our inability and weakness, with our little engines and our stop and start voices, we sputtered forward.  And as we did, we found joy and renewed our hope as we declared a glorious truth together.  That whatever we face, whatever the season, we can sing or say “Hallelujah!”  For over it all and in it all, the Lord God Almighty does indeed reign.  He is King of Kings and Lord of Lords.  And He shall reign forever.  And ever.  Hallelujah!

After this I heard what sounded like a great multitude in heaven shouting, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, because his judgments are true and right.” Revelation 19:1