Heavenly Father, we praise your Name. We know that everything comes from your gracious and loving hand and we are so grateful. Anything we have, anything we’re able to do, anything praiseworthy in our lives, is because of you. We glorify you, we magnify you, now and forever. May we continue to look up to you this week, to seek you in continual prayer that we might know you and love you more, that we might do your will in loving obedience. LORD, help us make choices that shine your light in this increasingly dark world. May those around us who don’t yet know you see you in us, and may those around us who do know you be spurred on to good works because of your light in us. May we walk continually in your Spirit, and may our zeal for you abound more and more. May you give us steadfastness in our faith and trust in you that we might bring your name glory and fame throughout the world. In the mighty Name of Jesus our Messiah we pray, amen.
I will praise the Lord all my life;
I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.
Do not put your trust in princes,
in human beings, who cannot save.
When their spirit departs, they return to the ground;
on that very day their plans come to nothing.
Blessed are those whose help is the God of Jacob,
whose hope is in the Lord their God.
He is the Maker of heaven and earth,
the sea, and everything in them—
He remains faithful forever.
He upholds the cause of the oppressed
and gives food to the hungry.
The Lord sets prisoners free,
the Lord gives sight to the blind,
the Lord lifts up those who are bowed down,
the Lord loves the righteous.
The Lord watches over the foreigner
and sustains the fatherless and the widow,
but He frustrates the ways of the wicked.
The Lord reigns forever,
your God, O Zion, for all generations.
Praise the Lord.”
Psalm 146
Heavenly Father, we praise you today, from the depths of our souls we praise you. We praise you for all you’ve done, all you are doing, and all you will do. We put all our trust, hope, and confidence in you and in no one else. Help us to see where we have put our dependence in someone over you and may we re-place it where it belongs – in you, in your perfect will, in your plans, in your love for us as our good, good Father. If you choose to use someone to do good in our lives, we praise you knowing it was by your will and prompting. Thank you for providing for every need we have, especially our spiritual freedom, and with it, your peace, both now and forever. Help us be a light pointing those you put in our path to you, so they, through your Son, can also have an intimate relationship with you and along with it the confident assurance of your grace and mercy to be their provision, their portion, their all. You are our hope, and we will put no other in your place. We pray in the name of our El Shaddai – the All-Sufficient God, our El Roi – the God Who Sees Me, our Jehovah-Rapha – the God Who Heals, and our El Sali – the God of my Strength, through your Son Jesus the Christ. Amen.
Oh Heavenly Father, we praise you today for your great love, that you have drawn us, adopted us, and made us co-heirs with your beloved Son. What an amazing gift! Thank you for showing us more and more the height and depth and breadth of what that means not just for eternity, but for here, right now, in our joys, in our pains, in our weaknesses. Thank you for your faithfulness to bring us through every trial, and to discipline us when we need to grow more. Help us trust you as our dear and precious Father as you grow our faith to maturity, and often use ways we don’t understand. We praise you for your goodness and that your way is perfect. That you are always with us, no matter what, and that your love never runs out. Thank you, Father, for your grace and kindness toward us, for your gentleness and your constant provision. Thank you for sending your Son, for providing a way to forgiveness and life, both now and eternal. Help us take ahold of your hand and never let go. In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
As I thought about a song to post for today, immediately Switchfoot’s Your Love is a Song came to mind. It’s one of those songs with a hauntingly beautiful melody and equally mysterious lyrics. I went hunting for its meaning and lo and behold, found the thoughts of lead singer and writer of the song, Jon Foreman.
“For me, melody is a constant. I am always buzzing with some hook or rhythm or idea… (for example, I’ve got an idea in my head now from when I went surfing a few hours ago).
Sometimes I imagine the entire universe as a song, or an incredibly elaborate symphony- the sun is setting, there’s a kid staring at the evening train going by. People are falling in love. Fathers are apologizing to their sons after years of unspoken silence. Children are looking for the approval that only a mother can give.
I think of life as an interwoven and interconnected masterpiece. It’s like Lauren Hill and Kierkegaard say- everything effects everything.
Alongside these beautiful, pure notes there are elements of horrific dissonance. Parts of the symphony where the musicians are not following the score. To our shame, ours is a world of slavery, bigotry, and hate. Of Rwanda. Of Darfur. These atonal catastrophes on our Darkwater Planet would destroy the song if they could.
But love is a stronger song. Alongside the dissonance there is hope. There is forgiveness and joy singing alongside of hatred and despair. The song is still being written. Every day we choose whether we will submit to the score to sing along with love.
When I found out about the string theory it made a lot of sense. I pictured all the universe vibrating. Some instruments are out of tune. Some are not following the conductor. But love conquers a multitude of errors. Your love can cover even the atrocities that I’ve committed in my own life, even the times when my actions are horribly out of tune. Yes, even these have been mercifully forgiven and brought into the song.
There are reoccurring themes in my life. Because I write about the things I’m wrestling, these themes often find themselves in multiple songs. I used fight against this concept. Now I see these songs as interconnected, sequels in a real life documentary. One idea that I’m continually wresting with is the concept that the creator of heavens and earth would love a wreck like myself. This idea has been the seed for a few of my songs, they are a trilogy of sorts: ‘Let Your Love Be Strong,’ ‘Your Love is Strong,’ and ‘Your Love is a Song.'” ~Jon Forman
“By day the Lord directs His love, at night His song is with me- a prayer to the God of my life.” Psalm 42:8
He is right. Love is woven throughout the history of the world, and it will not be overcome by evil. Love rises, love overcomes, love endures.
Love is offered to all in the form of the Son of God – Jesus Christ – and it’s up to each of us whether we will receive Him Who is love, or not.
Even if we’ve received Him and been transformed, we have a daily, hourly choice whether to hide His love with our fears, angers, and insecurities, or allow His love in us to rise to the surface and shine through our heartaches and trials. To let the rest of the world see that love is still alive, and with it hope and joy and peace.
When we do our life joins with the song of the ages – the love of God weaving all things together into a melody made beautiful in His time.
But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.
When He comes, He will prove the world to be in the wrong about sin and righteousness and judgment: about sin, because people do not believe in me; about righteousness, because I am going to the Father, where you can see me no longer; and about judgment, because the prince of this world now stands condemned. John 16:7-11
Very truly I tell you, my Father will give you whatever you ask in my name. Ask and you will receive, and your joy will be complete. John 16:23b,24b
