Isn’t it interesting how a song you have heard many times before can suddenly jump out and hit you like a cup of cold water to your face?
That was this song for me this morning as I was in my Contemplative Corner. I had just finished my bible reading and journaling, and moved on to listening to a little music before I jumped in the shower to prepare for the day.
And then I had to listen to this song a couple more times.
Because I think this song really addresses what happens, (or needs to happen) as we continue to draw near to God, and emulate Christ, and be led by the Holy Spirit.
We think that we can package Christianity up in a neat little box with lots of rules and regulations, when in reality, the more we read God’s Word, we find out that it’s not as easy as that.
When we are truly living out of the love that we have been given by God through Christ Jesus, it gets messy and doesn’t fit into our human constructs of religion. And that is a good thing, because it forces us to rely on God rather than ourselves, and to see people as God sees them rather than how our human eyes see them.
It all comes down to one word for me: LOVE. When we live with the love of God at the center of our lives, when we love like Jesus loves, this is when we are living out our faith in the most effective way. This is when we are acting in ways that bring glory not to ourselves, but to our God.
So, take a listen this morning. What else would you say to yourself today? How can you step out in love this week? Let me know your thoughts!
Yesterday, as I drove to church in Edwardsville, where I am serving as an intern this fall, this song came up on my “Worship Girls Playlist.” This is one of my playlists that I often put on shuffle to see what God might have to say to me through music that I love.
I was singing along. Loudly. Joyfully. Passionately.
And on the way home, I had to listen to it again.
It reminds me of this verse that I love for the picture of God that it offers:
The Lord your God is with you, the Mighty Warrior who saves. He will take great delight in you; in his love he will no longer rebuke you, but will rejoice over you with singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV)
With the turmoil, division, disasters, marginalization, and so many other hurts and dashed hopes that we are seeing in our world today, it is easy to think that God is far away and doesn’t care, or just won’t act. But that is so not true! God created this world and all that is in it, and called it GOOD! Yes, people have marred that good creation, but never has God stopped loving and caring for us. He loves us. He rejoices over us with singing. And we have the opportunity, and dare I say responsibility, to sing along and participate in God’s work in the world.
There is no song greater, no purpose higher, than God’s. I think I will sing along. Will you join me?
From babies hidden in the shadows To the cities shining bright There are captives weeping Far from sight For every doorway has a story And some are holding back the cries But there is one who hears us in the night
Great God Wrap your arms around this world tonight Around the world tonight And when you hear our cries Sing through the night So we can join in your song And sing along yeah, We’ll sing along
From the farthest corners of the earth Still his mercy reaches Even to the pain we cannot see And even through the darkness There’s a promise that will keep us There is one who came to set us free
Great God Wrap Your arms around this world tonight Around the world tonight And when you hear our cries Sing through the night So we can join in your song And sing along, yeah We’ll sing along
So let your song rise And fill up the earth Let your hope ring out Let your heart be heard So let your song rise And fill up the earth Let your hope ring out Let your heart be heard
Oh, great God Wrap Your arms around this world tonight Around the world tonight And when you hear our cries Sing through the night And we will join in your song And sing along, yeah We’ll sing along We’ll sing along We’ll sing along We’ll sing along We’ll sing along We’ll sing along We’ll sing along
Great God Wrap your arms around this world tonight Around the world tonight And when you hear our cries Sing through the night And we will join in your song And sing along We’ll sing along
Great God Wrap your arms around this world tonight Around the world tonight And when you hear our cries Sing through the night And we will join in your song And sing along We’ll sing along Yeah We’ll sing along We’ll sing along We’ll sing along We’ll sing along
