Songs for Sunday, April 21 @ Christ Community Church

Tomorrow is Sunday, and I’m excited!

Actually, excited might not be the best word to describe what I am feeling — just the best I have to offer. I’m a little drained. I’m a little weary. And I know that I need some of what Zephaniah (3:17) wrote about:

The LORD your God is in your midst, a mighty One who will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness; He will quiet you by His love; He will exult over you with loud singing.

Man, what a beautiful picture. God is truly Emmanuel — God with us — and willing to be in our midst. He “became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). That life He took up, He willingly laid down for us in love (John 15:13, 1 John 4:9). But death did not keep Him away or stop Him because He rose from the dead (Acts 3:15); indeed, “it was not possible for Him to be held by [death]” (Acts 2:24)! And even today, millennia after He ascended back to heaven, His Spirit is with us and in us (John 14:16-17, Romans 8:9-11)!

The Holy Spirit is not some impersonal force. He is God. And if we are His, He is with us and in us.

He is mighty to save.

He rejoices over us in gladness.

And that last part of Zephaniah 3:17 is what I am excitedly — expectantly — rejoicing in today: He quiets us by His love and exults — sings — over us with loud singing. What a beautifully powerful image! It reminds me of singing to my kiddos when they were little.

There were times when they were restless, sick, or afraid and just wanted to be held. I would rock them or stand swaying with them in my arms, singing hymns like “Be Thou My Vision”, “How Deep the Father’s Love for Us”, “It is Well”, or “In Christ Alone” — singing of the deep truths of the gospel, praying God would save them and order their steps, seeking for God to soothe their ills and discomfort and let them sleep.

There were times when they would be silly and playing, and I’d play my guitar and watch them dance and laugh. Both kids had such unique tastes in music, even at young ages, but I would rotate through whatever they would dance or play to, enjoying and finding joy in their enjoyment and joy.

It reminds me, too, of when Candice and I were first starting out. She was my muse from the beginning. I wrote songs to try and relay the deep feelings I had. I sang those songs over her, hoping she would hear and see the love I had and still have for her. I sang “Will you marry me?” instead of asking. And exulted when she said, “Yes”.

Those are poor and dim pictures of the great love with which God loves us (Ephesians 2:4, John 3:16, 1 John 4:9-10), but hopefully, they illustrate to you pictures of what it is for Him to quiet us in His love and sing over us.

Tomorrow at Christ Community, my brothers and sisters are going to sing the truth of Scripture and the gospel. I will get to stand and listen to them, singing along myself, and be quieted by God’s love. The weariness of my soul and body won’t magically be erased, but the presence of God and the power of His Word will simply be more than my weariness. God’s strength will be stronger than my weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). And I will be reminded once more of my loving Father — the One who loves me more and better than I am capable of loving my own kiddos, which brings me to tears as I type this; I will be reminded once more of my loving Savior who died for His Bride, more than that who lives for her — a love and life more than I am capable of for my wife.

So, I am excited to have the words of the songs wash over me and point me to Christ. I am excited to have the Word read and preached wash over me tomorrow. I am excited that Jesus has washed me clean by His blood. Despite my weariness, I can find excitement in Christ and pray that you can, too.

Won’t you gather with us tomorrow and seek Him?

Scripture | Zechariah 14:6-9 —

⁶On that day there shall be no light, cold, or frost. ⁷And there shall be a unique day, which is known to the Lord, neither day nor night, but at evening time there shall be light.
⁸On that day living waters shall flow out from Jerusalem, half of them to the eastern sea and half of them to the western sea. It shall continue in summer as in winter.
⁹And the Lord will be king over all the earth. On that day the Lord will be one and his name one.

Scripture | John 7:37-38 —

³⁷On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. ³⁸Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’ ”

Song | Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing —
Scripture Inspiration: Jeremiah 17:13, Zechariah 14:8-9, John 4, Revelation 22:1-5, Ezekiel 36:26, Jeremiah 31:33, Hebrews 8:10, Lamentations 3:22-23, Psalm 33:3, Psalm 95:1-2, Psalm 40:3, Isaiah 53, John 1:29, John 3:15-16, Acts 4:12, Acts 20:28, Romans 5:6-10, Romans 6:15-23, Colossians 2:14, Hebrews 9:22, 1 John 1:7-2:2, Revelation 5:9, Romans 6:1-11, Romans 7:4-6, Galatians 2:19-20, 1 Peter 2:24, John 1:12-13, Romans 8:14-23, Romans 9:1-8, Galatians 4:5-7, Matthew 25:34, Galatians 3:29, Titus 3:7, 1 Peter 1:4, 1 Samuel 7:1-12, Philippians 2:5-11, Mark 10:29-30, Romans 5:21, Revelation 21:3-4, Matthew 11:28-30, Jeremiah 17:9, James 1:14-15, 2 Corinthians 1:21-22

Song | Jesus Messiah —
Scripture Inspiration: 2 Corinthians 5:21, Philippians 2:8, Psalm 136:1, Acts 17:3, Luke 2:11, Philippians 2:9, Job 19:25, Isaiah 44:24, Matthew 1:23, Matthew 28:20, Isaiah 61:1, 1 Timothy 2:6, Philippians 2:10, Luke 22:19-20, Romans 5:5, Matthew 27:51, John 3:16, Romans 5:3-4, 1 Peter 1:3, Jude 25, John 8:12, Isaiah 59:1-2

Scripture | Revelation 21:1-6 —

¹Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and the sea was no more. ²And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. ³And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, “Behold, the dwelling place of God is with man. He will dwell with them, and they will be his people, and God himself will be with them as their God. ⁴He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away.”
⁵And he who was seated on the throne said, “Behold, I am making all things new.” Also he said, “Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.” ⁶And he said to me, “It is done! I am the Alpha and the Omega, the beginning and the end. To the thirsty I will give from the spring of the water of life without payment.