@RhondaRhea

I was trying to get the last chocolate chip at the bottom of the smoothie with a straw—and who knew I could beatbox? So I figure my only course now is to write a rap. What possible other choice do I have? I’ve been sitting here for 20 minutes trying to decide the proper use of “dawg” in a sentence. So here’s what I’ve got so far:

How about now I come up with a little rapper ditty
I’ll find a real sick beat and try to add on something witty
O’ course when I’m all done it might be anything but pretty
But I’ll get something back—hey, never mind that it’s your pity
Dawg

Sorry, but it’s not quite as musical when you read it without the smoothie-straw beatbox in the background. By the way, I’ve heard that anytime you don’t know how to end a rap, you just pull out the “dawg.” Either that or “word.”

You might be relieved to know that I’m feeling compelled to deliver a better word here. Like the one in Psalm 96:1. We’re told to “Sing a new song to the Lord,” (HCSB). The psalmist doesn’t specify rap or non-rap, but he does tell us to sing it. Three times, as a matter of fact. “Sing a new song to the Lord; sing to the Lord, all the earth. Sing to Yahweh, praise His name; proclaim His salvation from day to day. Declare His glory among the nations, His wonderful works among all peoples,” (Psalm 96:1-3, HCSB).

That new song? It’s not so much about the style or beat or rhyme. It’s a song that comes from a heart that’s been made new—a song sung as worship. And it’s a song sung in anticipation of the new, new song coming, the sweet song that ushers in the reign of the Lord over all the earth. (You’ll be proud of me when you notice I fought off the urge to mention the “rap”-ture.)

Revelation 5:9 refers to the new song that will be sung to the One who is worthy and tells us that the living creatures and those who’ve been saved will sing to him: “You redeemed people for God by Your blood from every tribe and language and people and nation,” (Rev. 5:9, HCSB). It’s a song that ushers in our forever—all made possible by the redemptive work of our Father through the sacrifice of Jesus, His Son, on the cross.

The passage in Psalm 96 (the one that tells us to sing, sing, sing it) tells us that the singing is our worship, and that the singing is our witness—we’re to sing His praises and proclaim His salvation “among the nations” and “among all peoples.” As our song of worship becomes our witness, it wraps back around to become more worship. Okay, now that’s a wrap!

So let’s sing to the planet about our amazing God, and about the redemption available to all because of His Son, Jesus Christ. Let’s sing it, tell it, shout it, share it, write it, rap it. …All over the world and all over the city. Nevermind my bad rap skills, keep all your pity. Just so we never, no never ever quitty.

Word.

Rhonda Rhea is a TV personality for Christian Television Network and a humor columnist for great magazines such as HomeLife, Leading Hearts, The Pathway and many more. She is the author of 12 books, including Fix-Her-Upper, co-authored with Beth Duewel, and a hilarious novel, Turtles in the Road, co-authored with her daughter, Kaley Rhea. Rhonda and Kaley are also excited to be teaming up with Bridges TV host, Monica Schmelter, for a new book and TV series titled, Messy to Meaningful—Lessons from the Junk Drawer. Rhonda enjoys speaking at conferences and events from coast to coast and serves as a consultant on the publishing team of Bold Vision Books.

She lives near St. Louis with her pastor/hubs and has five grown children.