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#worship

I’m a multi-instrumentalist that plays with the worship team at my church. Music is intrical to me and worship at it’s core.

Last year at DelFest we got to see these girls and my daughter absolutely loved them. Such talent. And today they have released a new album and it is solid. This song stood out, beautifully rendered in acapella.

If the mover of mountains
Is listening to me
Why should I worry?
Why should I fear anything?

For I know the plans He has for me
Yes, I know the plans He has for me
For my good
To give me a hope and a future

My God commands the seas and raises the dead. And He listens to me, so why should I worry? I just wish the guy below would play a real mandolin. Sorry, bud.

I tend to avoid Bethel, but Heights Community included this song in their set yesterday. When verse three kicked in, I almost lost it.

If the truth cuts like an arrow
I will say it anyway
‘Cause here I am, Lord, send me
And if it’s means that they’ll reject me
Lord, I will still obey
‘Cause here I am, Lord, send me

Those close know how many areas of my life that those words pierce. Worship your Lord this morning. His plans are higher than yours. Let the darkness do its work.

Remember that Christ is in the storm with you, He is the other in the fire, He is the flame that guides Israel out of Egypt, you are not alone.

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When the enemy says I’m done, I’ll lift my praises
When my world come crashing down, I’ll lift my praises high
‘Til the darkness turns to dawn, I’ll lift my praises
I choose to worship, I choose You now

Sometimes the dark is darker than dark. But as Psalm 139 reminds us, “even the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for darkness is as light with you.” The darkness cannot steal my song. Nothing can. Storms, floods, armies, and persecution can try but none of it can take my song. Why? Because it comes from the Lord. The Lord that is over all. So, as Chris Llewellyn beautifully writes, “I build my alter right here and now. In the midst of the darkest night it won’t burn out.”

I needed this song today. Maybe you do to.

Sitting in Worship

It has been a week. Psalm 57 keeps coming back this year. Our captors demand we worship their gods, but at least Christ is Lord has been trending on Twitter most of the week? Our culture is retching, to say the least. It would be too easy to collapse under the weight of it, the sorrow, the hurt. But, as the dragons prowl outside and I grab my lyre and belt out worship.

This morning this song came back to me and I repeat this prayer:

Give me the strength
To be able to sing
It is well with my soul

Staring down the dragons when the Lion of Judah stands at your side eases the nerves.

These words echoed last year. I stood amongst the Church and cried more than I have in my entire adult life. I stood on stage, hidden behind the brim of my hat and my guitar, praising God that my instrument wasn’t my voice, tears streaming down my face.

It’s easy to sing
When there’s nothing to bring me down
But what will I say when I’m held to the flame
Like I am right now

Even If by MercyMe

Church got me through. Being with the Body, amongst the Body, surrounded by the Body. They were my legs when mine didn’t work. And music. God speaks so much through art and worship.

I know You’re able and I know You can
Save through the fire with Your mighty hand
But even if You don’t
My hope is You alone

The lyric “but even if You don’t.” Last week we talked about sovereignty and God’s will during our Wednesday night group. We must pray to God as if He will answer our prayers and praise God even if He doesn’t.

But God, when You choose
To leave mountains unmovable
Give me the strength to be able to sing
It is well with my soul

Leaving mountains unmovable. That was my 2022. But I lit many campfires and sang many dark nights, after the kids and the Sun went down, “it is well with my soul.”

A friend at church said that I have a man-crush on Brian Sauvé. Sure. But the theology buff in me draws close the good preachers that don’t tickle ears. His King’s Hall podcast is fueling my month and songs like the above are becoming anthems to carry through valleys darkened by the shadows of death.

O hear the mighty lion’s roaring,
Shaking hoary trees
The murdered Lamb, his scarlet blood,
Has broken winter’s teeth

So men of God, take up the sword
The Son of God goes forth
To bind the strong man fast in chains
And plunder all his goods

I am on a bit of a kick for the Psalmist of Ogden Brian Sauvé this week. Heck, much of February and March was me just swimming through the Psalms, so it makes sense.

Fret not thyself at evil men
Nor envy those who worketh wrong
For they will soon fade like the grass
And wither like the new-cut herb

Fret Not Thyself At Evil Men (Psalm 37:1-11)

To long with him that hateth peace
Doth mine owl soul abide
I am for peace, but when I speak
To war they ever fly

Psalm 120-121:1 (O Lord, Deliver Me) by Brian Sauvé

I wasn’t ready for this album but the algorhythm on Twitter put it in my feed last night. It got me to sleep. Then I woke with a prayer in my messages from an unknown number. So you could say that my day is going fairly well. This album has way too many good songs and good instrumentations. This is an album of psalms and a couple hymns. By today’s definition of worship— don’t get me started— that shouldn’t be this good. Go worship. Maybe I’ll do a cover sooner or later.