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Category Archives: Hymns and Songs

“The Living Years” by Mike & the Mechanics

16 Jun

“The Living Years” by Mike & the Mechanics

Every generation
Blames the one before
And all of their frustrations
Come beating on your door

I know that I’m a prisoner
To all my Father held so dear
I know that I’m a hostage
To all his hopes and fears
I just wish I could have told him in the living years

Oh, crumpled bits of paper
Filled with imperfect thought
Stilted conversations
I’m afraid that’s all we’ve got

You say you just don’t see it
He says it’s perfect sense
You just can’t get agreement
In this present tense
We all talk a different language
Talking in defense

Say it loud (say it loud), say it clear (oh say it clear)
You can listen as well as you hear
It’s too late (it’s too late) when we die (oh when we die)
To admit we don’t see eye to eye

So we open up a quarrel
Between the present and the past
We only sacrifice the future
It’s the bitterness that lasts

So don’t yield to the fortunes
You sometimes see as fate
It may have a new perspective
On a different day
And if you don’t give up, and don’t give in
You may just be okay

So say it loud, say it clear (oh say it clear)
You can listen as well as you hear
Because it’s too late, it’s too late (it’s too late)
When we die (oh, when we die)
To admit we don’t see eye to eye

I wasn’t there that morning
When my Father passed away
I didn’t get to tell him
All the things I had to say

I think I caught his spirit
Later that same year
I’m sure I heard his echo
In my baby’s new born tears
I just wish I could have told him in the living years

Say it loud, say it clear (oh say it clear)
You can listen as well as you hear
It’s too late (it’s too late) when we die (it’s too late when we die)
To admit we don’t see eye to eye

So say it, say it, say it loud (say it loud)
Say it clear (come on say it clear)
Say it loud
(Don’t give up, don’t give in and don’t look away ’til it’s too late)
Say it clear
Say it loud (say it loud, say it loud)

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: B.A. Robertson / Mike Rutherford

Dear God, this seems like a good Father’s Day song. As I said a day or two ago, I think there are probably more of us who struggle with Father’s Day than sink into the joy of it. I think this son by B.A. Robertson and Mike Rutherford explains why.

When I think about it from a macro level, I think the words mercy and forgiveness are what come to mind. It reminds me of the beginning of the poem “This Be The Verse”: The f*** you up, your mom and dad. They don’t mean to but they do. They fill you with the faults they had. Then they add some extra just for you...

What the child never realized until maybe when they are a parent is how much the parent loves them. How much the parent sacrifices for them. I’ve seen a mom I work with fight for her child’s brain development and health. Doctors and therapists were convinced he is autistic, but she knew there was something more and she has put him through amazing amounts of occupational and cognitive development therapy for the first three years of his life. She has sacrificed. She has taken time from work. She has spent tons of money. And now it seems to be paying off to the point that she was told last week by his developmental therapist that she was once convinced the boy was autistic, but now she doesn’t think he is. As she told me this story, I thought about how this boy will one day be a teenager and frustrated with his parents, and he won’t realize how much they’ve done for him or loved him. How can he.

I can’t really understand how much my parents have done for me over the years. I know there was a time when I was a baby that I was very sick and my mother fought for me to see the right doctors when she felt like I wasn’t getting the care I needed. She carried me and walked with me a long distance to get me where I needed to be. And yes, I have been frustrated with her over the years. And yes, I haven’t fully appreciated everything she has done. And yes, I still have some issues. But it’s okay to let mercy and forgiveness rule the day.

So, Father, I offer this prayer to you today–this Father’s Day. The only hope any of us have is if we, to quote Rich Mullins, “let mercy lead.” Help me to lead with mercy today. Mercy for my dad. Mercy for my children. Mercy for everyone around me. Help me to lead with mercy today, see each person with your eyes, and worship you throughout this day.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 16, 2024 in Hymns and Songs

 

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“Alive & Breathing” Matt Maher (ft. Elle Limebear)

14 Jun

“Alive & Breathing” Matt Maher (ft. Elle Limebear)

What holds your heart
What stirs your soul
What matters come to mind
The cares you keep
The thoughts you think
It’s not all wasted time
Seek and you will find

Joy still comes in the morning
Hope still walks with the hurting
If you’re still alive and breathing
Praise the Lord
Don’t stop dancing and dreaming
There’s still Good News worth repeating
So lift your head and keep singing
Praise the Lord

Years roll by
We wonder why
We lost our way from home
Our Father finds
The child inside
We had left for growing old
Awake, awake, awake my soul

Joy still comes in the morning
Hope still walks with the hurting
If you’re still alive and breathing
Praise the Lord
Don’t stop dancing and dreaming
There’s still Good News worth repeating
So lift your head and keep singing
Praise the Lord

Let everything, let everything
Let everything praise the Lord
In the working, in the waiting
Praise the Lord
In the blessing, in the breaking
Come on, praise the Lord
In the dying, the rising
Let it praise the Lord
Let it praise the Lord
Praise the Lord

Joy still comes in the morning
Hope still walks with the hurting
If you’re still alive and breathing
Praise the Lord
Don’t stop dancing and dreaming
There’s still Good News worth repeating
So lift your head and keep singing
Praise the Lord

Joy still comes in the morning
Hope still walks with the hurting
If you’re still alive and breathing
Praise the Lord
Don’t stop dancing and dreaming
There’s still Good News worth repeating
So lift your head and keep singing
Praise the Lord

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Elle Limebear / Matt Maher

Dear God, I’m about to have breakfast with a friend. I’m not sure what his emotional state is, but I know he’s facing a challenge in life. I’m not sure why, but I woke up with this song in my head, and it encouraged me. I hope you can use me as an encouragement to him as well.

The first verse of this song reminds me of the prayer I learned to pray several years ago: “Father, make it count.” If there’s going to be pain, make it count. If I’m going to struggle, make it count. If I’m going to sin and repent, at least make the sin count.

Father, right now, as I go to meet with this friend and prepare to talk on the phone with another friend, I ask that you take all of this and make it count. Awake my soul. Worship the Lord. He is God. You are my God, Father, Jesus, Holy Spirit. I am yours today.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on June 14, 2024 in Hymns and Songs

 

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“God Beyond All Names” by Bernadette Farrell

27 May

“God Beyond All Names” by Bernadette Farrell

God, beyond our dreams, you have stirred in us a memory,
you have placed your powerful spirit in the hearts of humankind.

All around us, we have known you;
all creation lives to hold you,
In our living and our dying
we are bringing you to birth.

God, beyond all names, you have made us in your image,
we are like you, we reflect you, we are woman, we are man.

All around us, we have known you;
all creation lives to hold you,
In our living and our dying
we are bringing you to birth

God, beyond all words, all creation tells your story,
you have shaken with our laughter, you have trembled with our tears.

All around us, we have known you;
all creation lives to hold you,
In our living and our dying
we are bringing you to birth

God, beyond all time, you are laboring within us;
we are moving, we are changing, in your spirit ever new.

All around us, we have known you;
all creation lives to hold you,
In our living and our dying
we are bringing you to birth

God of tender care, you have cradled us in goodness,
you have mothered us in wholeness, you have loved us into birth.

All around us, we have known you;
all creation lives to hold you,
In our living and our dying
we are bringing you to birth

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Bernadette Mary Farrell

Dear God, I heard this song in church yesterday morning, and I really stuck with me. Honestly, I think it is the haunting tune even more than the lyrics, but the lyrics are lovely worship of you as well. I thought I would spend some time with it this morning.

God, beyond our dreams, you have stirred in us a memory,
you have placed your powerful spirit in the hearts of humankind.

It’s amazing you choose to reveal yourself to us at all. You could sit there silently. You could walk away and ignore us. But that’s not what you do. You speak to us. You reveal yourself to us. You put a hole in us that looks for you to fill it.

God, beyond all names, you have made us in your image,
we are like you, we reflect you, we are woman, we are man.

What does it mean to be made in your image? What gives us a soul? What is in us that could possibly look like you? I feel very inadequate to even sit here right now and express my love to you. To worship you. To say that I will take you into this world and reflect you to the world. That seems ridiculous to me because I am such a poor representative of you. Help me to be just a little bit better reflection of you today.

God, beyond all words, all creation tells your story,
you have shaken with our laughter, you have trembled with our tears.

There are no words that can describe you, but the beauty of creation is more than all of the words I could possibly conjure. You are amazing, God. Everything around me attests to that.

God, beyond all time, you are laboring within us;
we are moving, we are changing, in your spirit ever new.

I was going through some pictures of myself from 35 years ago yesterday. I was 19 then. I’m 54 now. I thought I knew so much. Even now, I think I know so much. But one day I will look back on 54 and think about how young I was. How naive. Thank you for laboring within me. Moving me. Changing me.

God of tender care, you have cradled us in goodness,
you have mothered us in wholeness, you have loved us into birth.

Oh, Father, comfort me. Comfort my wife. Comfort my children and their significant others. Heal us. Make us whole, Father, God.

All around us, we have known you;
all creation lives to hold you,
In our living and our dying
we are bringing you to birth

I know you, Father, in that I know you are there. I know you are beyond what I can know. I know you love me. I know you are rooting for me. You comfort me. You live through me and bless others. Help me to not hurt, but to bless in your name and with fruit of your Spirit.

I pray all of this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 27, 2024 in Hymns and Songs

 

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(Children Who Will Love) “While the Nations Rage” by Rich Mullins

26 May

“While the Nations Rage” by Rich Mullins

Why do the nations rage?
Why do they plot and scheme?
Their bullets can’t stop the prayers we pray
In the name of the Prince of Peace
We walk in faith and remember long ago
How they killed Him and then how on the third day He arose
Well, things may look bad
And things may look grim
But all these things must pass except the things that are of Him

Where are the nails that pierced His hands?
Well the nails have turned to rust
But behold the Man
He is risen
And He reigns
In the hearts of the children
Rising up in His name
Where are the thorns that drew His blood?
Well, the thorns have turned to dust
But not so the love
He has given
No, it remains
In the hearts of the children
Who will love while the nations rage

The Lord in Heaven laughs
He knows what is to come
While all the chiefs of state plan their big attacks
Against His anointed One
The Church of God she will not bend her knees
To the gods of this world though they promise her peace
She stands her ground
Stands firm on the Rock
Watch their walls tumble down when she lives out His love

Where are the nails that pierced His hands?
Well the nails have turned to rust
But not so the Man
He is risen
And He reigns
In the hearts of the children
Rising up in His name
Where are the thorns that drew His blood?
Well, the thorns have turned to dust
But behold the love
He has given
It remains
In the hearts of the children
Who will love while the nations rage
While the nations rage

Well, where are the nails that pierced His hands?
Well the nails have turned to rust
But behold the Man
He is risen
And He reigns
In the hearts of the children
Rising up in His name
Where are the thorns that drew His blood?
Well, the thorns have turned to dust
But not so the love
He has given
Oh, it remains
In the hearts of the children
Who will love while the nations rage

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Rich Mullins

Dear God, this has never been one of my favorite Rich Mullins songs, but it came up on my playlist yesterday morning while I was mowing the lawn, and there was one line that caught my ear: In the hearts of the children who will love while the nations rage.

Oh, Father, where has our love gone? And when I say “our,” I mean the church. Your church. Your body. Where has our love gone? It feels like we have joined the fray with bullets and raging. With barbs. With “destroying” or “owning” each other. I’ve mentioned that I’ve been reading a memoir by Nancy French called Ghosted: An American Story. She is a ghostwriter, and she describes about ten years ago one of her jobs was to sit off camera at Fox News and feed zingers to her clients so they could “own the libs.” She is a great believer in you. Her love for you is deep and sincere. But she didn’t “love the libs” as Jesus would have commanded. She wanted to “own” them. She regrets it now. Especially since she fell out of step with the current makeup of the Republican party. Now she is the one they try to “own.” And sometimes it has worked. Sometimes, they have devastated her and her family. Of course, they claim to love and worship you too. Where is their love?

Now, before I get too sanctimonious on this topic, I could ask the same question of myself. Where is my love for those I oppose? Do I want to own them, or do I want to love them? Do I want to attack them or attract them? Do I want to fight them, or do I want to accept their attacks and meet it with love? Do I want their defeat, or do I want to comfort them? No, I make the same mistakes French describes she made. I get defensive. I get angry and then let that anger become something destructive instead of constructive.

Father, the nations are raging, but our nation is raging too. French described the difference between a Republican campaign rally in 2012 vs 2016. The anger and hate in 2016 vs 2012 was apparently remarkable. People arguing with security guards that they should be allowed to bring their guns in. Yelling at the press. Of course, chanting awful things about their opponent. Yes, right now, our nation is raging. Sometimes with real bullets. Sometimes with barbs of hate, superiority, and dominance. Even Rich Mullins, in a live performance of this song threw a barb at the Clintons (Rich died during Bill Clinton’s second term, so he was President when the song was recorded). It made me uncomfortable. I wondered if Rich could watch that now if he would regret it.

Father, I might have to take a principled stand at some point about political issues, whether they be local, national, or international. And it might cost me. My prayer is that, if it costs me, it be for a reason that glorifies you and sees me honoring you in my response to it. And while I’m here talking about the nations raging, I would be remiss if I didn’t bring up Russia and Ukraine, Israel and Palestine, China and Taiwan, etc. Oh, Father, please bring peace. Please bring solutions. Raise up your leadership to guide your will to be done. And be in our current elections from local sheriff all of the way up to President. Let nothing happen outside of your will, Father. And while you do that, I will worship you and not look to any outcome that I prefer as my idol.

I offer this prayer to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 26, 2024 in Hymns and Songs

 

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James 5:13-15

25 May

13 Are any of you suffering hardships? You should pray. Are any of you happy? You should sing praises. 14 Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven.

James 5:13-15

Dear God, this passage reminds me of the Rich Mullins song “If I Stand.” I heard him say once that he wrote it thinking about calling on you in the bad times and thanking you for the good times. Worshipping and celebrating you always.

I’ll confess that I feel a little flat this morning. It’s a Saturday morning, and while I have something planned to do at 10:30, I don’t really have anything planned today. What will I do? Will I take time to worship you? Or will I waste the day? Will I take time to thank you for everything you’ve done for me, or will I just be self-indulgent? Will I bring my hurts worries and concerns to you, or will I just feel sorry for myself?

Father, “if I stand, let me stand on the promise that you have pulled me through. And if I can’t let me fall on the grace that first brought me to you. And if I sing, let me sing for the joy that has born in me these songs. And if I weep, let it be as a man who is longing for his home.”

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 25, 2024 in Hymns and Songs, James

 

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“Who You Say I Am”

06 May

“Who You Say I Am” by Hillsong

Who am I that the highest King would welcome me?
I was lost, but He brought me in
Oh His love for me
Oh His love for me

Who the Son sets free
Oh, is free indeed
I’m a child of God, yes, I am

Free at last, He has ransomed me
His grace runs deep
While I was a slave to sin, Jesus died for me
Yes, He died for me

Who the Son sets free
Oh is free indeed
I’m a child of God, yes, I am
In my Father’s house
There’s a place for me
I’m a child of God, yes, I am

I am chosen, not forsaken
I am who You say I am
You are for me, not against me
I am who You say I am

I am chosen, not forsaken
I am who You say I am
You are for me, not against me
I am who You say I am
I am who You say I am

Who the Son sets free
Oh is free indeed
I’m a child of God, yes, I am
In my Father’s house
There’s a place for me
I’m a child of God, yes, I am

In my Father’s house
There’s a place for me
I’m a child of God, yes, I am

I am chosen, not forsaken
I am who You say I am
You are for me, not against me
I am who You say I am

I am chosen, not forsaken
I am who You say I am
You are for me, not against me
I am who You say I am

I am chosen, not forsaken
I am who You say I am
You are for me, not against me
I am who You say I am
Oh I am who You say I am
Yes, I am who you say I am

Who the Son sets free
Oh is free indeed
I’m a child of God, yes, I am
In my Father’s house
There’s a place for me
I’m a child of God, yes, I am

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Reuben Timothy Morgan / Benjamin David Fielding

Dear God, I was visiting my parents’ church yesterday, and this was one of the songs they sang. I kept the program just so I would remember the song so I could look it up and use part of it this morning with you.

It was the bridge that struck me while I stood there and sang yesterday:

I am chosen, not forsaken
I am who You say I am
You are for me, not against me
I am who You say I am

There are some people whom I love dearly who feel they are forsaken. They feel like you are not their friend. You are against them. One person, in particular, really feels this way. He truly feels forsaken, by you and by others. He truly feels like you are against him and not for him. And there is seemingly nothing I can say to convince him otherwise. So I want to pray this over him this morning. Him and the others who are on my heart.

Father, you are for this man, not against him. You are that you say you are. You chose him. You have not forsaken him. In fact, you forsake Jesus on the cross so you wouldn’t forsake him. Oh, I pray this truth over him this morning. I pray that your Holy Spirit will pour over him and that he will feel the truth of these words. You have never forsaken him. You have always been for him. You are not against him. You chose him. Help him to find that and find joy in that. Pierce through the lies he has heard or thought of himself. Help him to see your truth. And for the woman I am thinking about as well, help her to embrace this. I know she knows it in her head. Help her to absorb it into her heart. Holy Spirit, love her well. Heal her wounds. Give her the fullness of your presence and help her to be the woman you have for her to be. And for my part, help me to really internalize all of this today as well. I am going to be leading a fundraising dinner for our nonprofit tomorrow night. Prepare my heart for the moment so that I might truly channel your Holy Spirit into that place. So that those who are there might feel chosen and not forsaken. So they will know you are for them and not against them. Let your Spirit just flow through that space tomorrow night and turn hearts towards you.

I offer this all to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on May 6, 2024 in Hymns and Songs

 

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“Sunday’s Coming” by Zach Williams

20 Apr

“Sunday’s Coming” by Zach Williams

When your week feels like a beat down
And you can’t tell the night from day
And you’re tired of fighting battles
When all you feel is pain, oh
It’s a heavy weight
There’s hope on the horizon
‘Cause the cross was not the end
Let joy come in the morning
And, child, lift your head
Don’t you give up yet

Keep on holdin’ on
There’s gonna be a breakthrough
Keep on holdin’ on
Don’t stay buried in that grave
If He can roll the stone
He can send the darkness runnin’
Might feel like Friday
But your Sunday’s comin’
It might feel like Friday
But your Sunday’s comin’

So let your soul start singing
And dry those tear-stained eyes
There’s a new life and you can breathe in
You’re gonna see the light on the other side

Keep on holdin’ on
There’s gonna be a breakthrough
Keep on holdin’ on
Don’t stay buried in that grave
If He can roll the stone
He can send the darkness runnin’
Might feel like Friday
But your Sunday’s comin’
It might feel like Friday
But your Sunday’s comin’

Oh oh, Sunday’s comin’
Oh oh, Sunday’s comin’

For the mama’s praying for their family
Your Sunday’s comin’
For the daddy’s struggling to make ends meet
Your Sunday’s comin’
And if addiction’s bringing you
To your knees your Sunday’s comin’
Oh, if anybody here wants to be set free
Your Sunday’s comin’

Keep on holdin’ on
There’s gonna be a breakthrough
Keep on holdin’ on
Don’t stay buried in that grave
If He can roll the stone
He can send the darkness runnin’
Might feel like Friday
But your Sunday’s comin’
It might feel like Friday
But your Sunday’s comin’

Source: LyricFind

Written by Ethan Hulse, Nick Schwarz, Zach Williams

Dear God, I sat down to spend this prayer time with you this morning, but I didn’t feel like doing scripture. I felt like freshening things up a bit by looking at a song. I was going to do a worship song, but I came across this one on my “Christian” playlist. Then I thought that maybe I should spend some time praying for friends and family. My wife. My children. My parents, siblings, nieces and nephews. My coworkers, my friends. Our leaders, from world leaders on down to city employees. The patients at our clinic. The volunteers at our clinic. The other nonprofits in town that serve and love others. The churches in town, some of whom are seemingly struggling and some of whom are seemingly striving. My friends who are mourning the loss of a child or a spouse. I guess we can throw me on there as well, although it is always harder to know how to pray for myself except that I want to just be completely yours.

Looking back at these lyrics, I do think I take issue with this song in just one little way. Sometimes, I might never see that Sunday. There are some things that I want that might never resolve on this side of death. I just might have to learn to live through the pain, confusion, and ignorance of Friday and Saturday with faith in you and peace in the idea that none of this is about what I want, but about what you want.

Father, I’m holding on, and I am certainly expecting you to do amazing things. In fact, I expect you to do things that are beyond what I can imagine. And to me it might look like losing, just like the cross looked like losing to everyone who loved Jesus and lived through those two days. And I trust that one day, whether it is this side of death or the other, I will live to see the glory of everything you have done. Not that I’m complaining about my current reality. I have it better than I have a right to. I have so much joy in my life. And there is some success too that I attribute to you. I just don’t want to think that my life has to look like winning in my eyes to prove to me that you are winning in the heavenly realm and doing your will in this world. So I worship you. I praise you. I thank you. I ask that you lead the leaders, comfort the mourners, teach the ignorant (I’m in that camp), draw the rebels to you, and heal the wounded. Do all of this for your glory and the joy you have in communing with your creation.

I offer this prayer to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 20, 2024 in Hymns and Songs

 

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“Heart of Worship” by Matt Redman

10 Apr

When the music fades
All is stripped away
And I simply come

Longin’ just to bring
Something that’s of worth
That will bless Your heart

I’ll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required

You search much deeper within
Through the ways things appear
You’re looking into my heart

I’m comin’ back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

King of endless worth
No one could express
How much You deserve?

Though I’m weak and poor
All I have is Yours
Every single breath

I’ll bring You more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required

You search much deeper within
Through the way things appear
You’re looking into my heart, yeah

I’m comin’ back to the heart of worship
And it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it
When it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

I’m comin’ back to the heart of worship
‘Cause it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus

I’m sorry, Lord, for the thing I’ve made it
‘Cause it’s all about You
It’s all about You, Jesus, yeah
All about You

I’ll bring You more than a song
I’ll bring You more than a song, more than a song
I’ll bring You more than a song
I’ll bring You more than a song (than a song)

You’re looking into my heart
You’re looking into my heart
You’re looking into my heart
Into my heart

I’ll bring You more than a song
I’ll bring You more than a song, yeah, yeah
I’ll bring You more than a song
I’ll bring You more than a song

Source: LyricFind

Songwriters: Matthew James Redman

Dear God, my thoughts are all over the place this morning. I sat down and wondered what I should pray about. Which scripture should I choose? What “great thoughts” can I think and pray through this morning? Then I had this song come into my head. You’re looking into my heart. I’ll bring you more than just my thoughts, ideas, and philosophies on life. I’m just coming to worship you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

I have a couple of things on my calendar today that are very important to me. But my danger is to try to do this on my own. To rely on my own wisdom and intellect. To make it about me. Instead, my focus needs to be on tapping into your Holy Spirit every moment. To hear that whisper in my ear. What I should be doing. What I should say. What I should not do. What I should not say. To channel Jesus’s “Sermon on the Mount” in everything I think, say, and do. To submit to you. To worship you.

Even now, I can feel my blood pressure going down as I sit here and worship you in this way. I can feel my thoughts becoming more still. I can feel the Holy Spirit calming me. I’m coming back to the heart of worship, and it’s all about you. It’s all about you, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It’s all about what Jesus taught me about worship (the Lord my God), love (my neighbor as myself), and then getting to know you better and better so that Jesus’s life seeps into me and becomes who I am more and more.

Father, it all starts with these moments. It all starts with me sitting here this morning and taking the time to get before you and pray to you. Thank you for bringing me to this place. Thank you for what you offer me. Help me to be exactly who you need me to be today in every situation I encounter.

I offer my life, my day, and this prayer to you in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on April 10, 2024 in Hymns and Songs

 

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“Be Thou My Vision”

05 Feb 
"Be Thou My Vision"

Be Thou my vision
O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me
Save that Thou art
Thou my best thought
By day or by night
Waking or sleeping
Thy presence my light

Be Thou my vision
And Thou my true word
I ever with Thee
And Thou with me, Lord
Thou my great Father
I Thy true son
Thou in me dwelling
And I with Thee one

Riches I  heed not
Or man's empty praise
Thou mine inheritance
Now and always
Thou and Thou only
First in my heart
High King of heaven
My treasure Thou art

High King of heaven
My victory won
May I reach heaven's joys
O bright heaven's Sun!
Heart of my own heart
Whatever befall
Still by my vision
O Ruler of all

Dear God, it’s interesting to really sit with the words of this song. Parsing out the early English is slightly tricky. For example, the third and fourth lines say, “Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.” Whoa! Let me think about for a second. I’ve sung that line a hundred times, but what does it mean? Naught = Nothing. Therefore, I’m going to saying that it means “nothing is anything to me except you.” It’s not as cool sounding when I put it in my modern language and much more poetic, but the meaning is also a little obscured from my 21st-century English.

Maybe I should just translate this into modern English: 

Let me see with your eyes
Lord of my heart
Nothing is anything to me
Except you
You are the best of my thoughts
Day and night
Whether I am aways or asleep
Your presence is my light

Let me get my wisdom from you
Show me what truth is
Let me be always with you
And you with me
You are my great Father
I'm your devoted son
Live in me
And I will be one with you

I am not impressed by riches
And I do not care about impressing people
My inheritance is only you
Now and forever
You and you alone
Are first in my heart
King of heaven
You are my treasure

King of heaven
You have won the victory for me
May I reach the joy of heaven
The spectacular heaven to come
My heart is your heart
Whatever happens
I still want to see with your eyes
And have you rule over everything

Okay, so a lot of poets could probably take apart what I just translated. My poet wife would probably have a field day with the inaccuracy of my interpretations. But the sentiment really works, and I’m going to stick with it. This is a great song of devotion to you. Denying myself and embracing you as my everything. Show me how to really, effectively, make you my everything.

I pray to you, Father, in Jesus and with the Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on February 5, 2024 in Hymns and Songs

 

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“Holy, Holy, Holy”

04 Feb 

"Holy, Holy, Holy" 
Holy, holy, holy!
Lord, God Almighty!
Early in the morning
Our song Shall rise to Thee
Holy, holy, holy
merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons
Blessed Trinity

Holy, holy, holy! 
All the saints adore Thee
Casting down their golden crowns
Around the glassy sea
Cherubim and seraphim
Falling down before Thee
Who wert, and art, and
Evermore shalt be

Holy, holy, holy! 
Tho' the darkness hide Thee
Tho' the eye of sinful man
They glory may not see
Only Thou art holy
There is none beside Thee
Perfect in power, in 
Love, and purity

Holy, holy, holy!
Lord God Almighty!
All Thy works shall praise Thy name
In earth, and sky, and sea
Holy, holy, holy
Merciful and mighty!
God in three Persons
Blessed Trinity

Written by Reginald Herber and John Dykes

Dear God, I was in church last night, and we sang this hymn. It seemed like a good thing to spend some time with this morning in worship of you. While it’s not particularly early right now (it’s about 10 a.m. as I write this) I am coming to you this morning before I get on with the rest of my Sunday to worship you.

The truth is, I cannot even begin to fathom what these words mean. They are good words, but do I really grasp them? Just the act of calling you “holy.” The words “God almighty.” Singing about how the cherubim and seraphim falling down before you. All the saints casting the crowns they might have earned in this earthly life before you. Considering it all nothing. Knowing that all of your creation, whether we want to or not–even the proudest of humans–will one day proclaim your name as our God. The fact that you are perfect in power, love, and purity. Acknowledging that the darkness of my life and this world can obscure you from me. My mind is limited. I cannot fathom you, nor can I understand anything about you or your ways.

Father, as I consider all of this, let me turn back to the simplicity Jesus taught me through the Gospels that recorded his life: love you with everything I have and love my neighbor as myself. I accept this truth. I accept Jesus’s life, death and resurrection so I might become your child and have relationship with you, freed from the sin and shame that wants to tie me down. And I accept the idea of having to love my neighbor as a way of releasing my own life to you. For in you is my only real joy. The idols of my wife, children, job, standing in the community, money, or whatever will all let me down. But you are Lord, God Almighty! Let my song rise to you.

I pray all of this in Jesus with the Holy Spirit,

Amen

 
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Posted by on February 4, 2024 in Hymns and Songs

 

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