There has been a verse on my mind this week – Nahum 1:7:
The Lord is good,
a stronghold in the day of trouble;
He knows those who take refuge in Him.
That verse is comforting.
First, it is comforting because it reminds us of the goodness of God. He is good whether times are good or not. He is good whether we feel it or not. He is righteous and holy and something completely different than everything we have to offer.
Second, it is comforting because – when everything is not good with us – He is still God. He is a stronghold, or a fortress. We can turn to Him in our times of deepest need. His care and love are unparalleled.
And, finally, it is comforting because, while He is God and is our fortress, He is personally involved with His children. He knows us. I do not mean that He knows who we are or that we are casual acquaintances. He knows those who take refuge in Him. He knows those who put their trust, faith, and belief in Him alone.
And that’s good news because we need to be known. It’s good news because – no matter what is going on in your life – we have have someone to turn to who can handle whatever it is. We have the privilege of getting to seek out the Most High and Him respond knowingly with love and care for us.
These verses were on my heart this week as the worship set came together:
- Nahum 1:7 – see above
- Psalm 95:1-7a – Oh, come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation! Let us come into His presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to Him with songs of praise! For the Lord is a great God, and a great King above all gods. In His hand are the depths of the earth; the heights of the mountain are His also. The sea is His, for He made it, and His hands formed the dry land. Oh come, let us worship and bow down; let us kneel before the Lord, our Maker! For He is our God, and we are the people of His pasture, and the sheep of His hand.
- Colossians 2:13-14 – And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the cross.
And that’s what we’re singing about this week! Our great God is good and cares for us. He has made a way for us and wants us to trust in Him. He has paid the price for us and wants us to lay our burdens at His feet and trust in Him as our refuge and our salvation!
Here are our songs:
- Famous One – We have the privilege to gather together and sing to the Almighty God of the universe! Don’t take it for granted! He is the Lord! He is the Most High! He has revealed Himself to us. This song is a good reminder of how big and awesome God is and how blessed we are to get to worship Him.
- Scripture References / Inspiration for the Song: Psalm 99:3, Ezekiel 36:23, Nehemiah 9:6, Psalm 19:1, Psalm 97:6, Deuteronomy 10:21, Isaiah 25:1, Psalm 150:6, Haggai 2:7, Psalm 86:10, Revelation 2:28, Revelation 1:7, John 1:14, Isaiah 33:17
- Forever Reign – This song continues reminding us who God is. He is good. He is love. He is light. He is hope. He is peace. He is truth. He is joy. And He is Life. He is all that, yet He still stoops to be with us. I love the chorus: “I’m running to your arms – the riches of your love will always be enough”. It reminds me of the prodigal son and the Father embracing. That’s the love our King has for us!
- Scripture References / Inspiration for the Song: Psalm 73:1, Nahum 1:7, Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23, 1 John 4:8, Romans 5:8, 1 John 3:16, John 1:4-5, John 8:12, 1 Peter 1:3, 1 Peter 2:24, Deuteronomy 33:27, Luke 15:20, Ephesians 2:4-5, Proverbs 3:15, Philippians 4:6-7, John 14:6, Philippians 4:4, Habakkuk 3:18, Psalm 13:6, Job 23:11-12, Psalm 16:2, Romans 1:19-20, Colossians 2:9-10, Matthew 28:20, Psalm 138:1, Acts 4:12, Philippians 2:9-11
- Jesus Paid It All (O Praise the One) – I love this hymn! “Jesus paid it all. All to Him I owe.” Amen. Were we to live and serve Him for a thousand lifetimes, we would not have time and ability to adequately show our gratitude. With our voices, hearts, and lives, we will “praise the One who paid our debt and raised this life up from the dead”!
- Scripture References / Inspiration for the Song: Matthew 11:28-30, John 19:30, Colossians 2:13-14, 2 Corinthians 4:15, Hebrews 12:28-29, Isaiah 1:18, Jeremiah 13:23, 2 Corinthians 5:17, Ezekiel 11:19, Revelation 4:10-11, Romans 6:4, Revelation 5:9-10
- Oceans (Where Feet May Fail) – This is a dangerous song. It is dangerous because it is a prayer that will utterly change our lives should God answer it. We are singing it because this is what we should want: to live a life following after Christ wherever He leads us. We get sidetracked when talking about walking on water by looking at Peter. We focus on Him falling in when He took His eyes off of Jesus. Let us not forget that the water was firm under Jesus’ feet. The wind and waves still know His voice. May we listen to it as well!
- Scripture References / Inspiration for the Song: Matthew 14:22-31, James 1:6-8, Deuteronomy 29:29, Ephesians 6:11, 1 Chronicles 16:8, Joel 2:32, Romans 8:15, Psalm 107:23-32, Psalm 37:23-24, Daniel 4:35, Deuteronomy 31:6, Hebrews 13:5-6, John 16:13, John 14:26, Romans 5:3-5, Hebrews 12:4-11, James 1:2-4
- Oh My Soul – In many ways, this song reflects Psalm 42 where the psalmist asks his soul why it is cast down within him. It also reflects the call of Christ to lay our burdens on Him. This is our invitation song, giving the opportunity for people to reach out to Jesus for whatever they need. He can lift us up. He can heal us. He can relive our fears. We are not alone; He is with us.
- Scripture References / Inspiration for the Song: Matthew 11:28-30, Psalm 22:1-11, Isaiah 41:10-14, Lamentations 3:57, Luke 12:32, Psalm 23:4, Ezekiel 37:1-14, 2 Corinthians 12:8-10, Song of Solomon 8:7, Matthew 8:23-27
I hope to see you with us, whether you gather in person, in the parking lot via speaker, or on Facebook or YouTube live!
Just Keith Harris 