“The LORD is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation. He is my God, and I will praise him, my father's God, and I will exalt him.” Exodus 15:2, KJV
One of my favorite gospel songs was written by Bill and Gloria Gaither, God gave the song.” Many of my favorites come from their pens, but this one is especially dear to me.
In the song, they talk about God being the source of the Song and giving the ability to sing that Song in the face of adversity as well as blessing. The opening verse says:
“You ask me why my heart keeps singing,
Why I can sing when things go wrong.
But since I've found the source of music
I just can't help it. God gave the song.”
What a powerful reminder to me in these days when so very much seems to be going wrong! My mother’s deteriorating health, my non-existent finances, catastrophes in the world…finding a bright spot often takes a determined effort. Those are the times when I cling to the Song ever more tightly and let God’s strength and song lift me and keep me singing.
In the same vein, “He Keeps Me Singing” (Luther Bridges, 1884-1948) reminds me that Jesus is the one who keeps me singing no matter where I go. One of my favorite hymns, Babbie Mason recorded a version of it on her album “Timeless” and reminded a new generation of music lovers of the message.
I have discovered that just singing a song of praise will lift my spirits. Is it the action of giving praise or the verbalization of His faithfulness in the lyrics, or a combination of the two that pulls me up? I only know it works.
Next time the world is trying its best to drag you down, lift a song of praise to the Giver of Song. Let His love write the song on your heart and carry you through.
Father, thank You for the song You put in our hearts, for being the source of all we need. Please accept our songs of praise as a gift of love to You.
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Showing posts with label love. Show all posts
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Peace Like a River (Number 38 in a series)
“O that thou hadst hearkened to my commandments! then had thy peace been as a river, and thy righteousness as the waves of the sea:” Isaiah 48:18, KJV
Having grown up along the Mississippi River in New Orleans, I am familiar with the inexorable strength possessed by a moving river. I’ve often thought of the power of God’s love in those powerful terms. The peace, though, is something quite different.
I learned about that in early morning rides during a period when my father had horses. The rhythmic whisper of the waves along the levee, the call of a bird seeking a finny breakfast in the water, the majestic motion of a heavy-laden ship heading for the Gulf of Mexico - all combined with the creak of saddle leather and clop of hooves to create a peaceful haven. Although the day-to-day world existed just out of sight on the other side of a line of trees, on the levee there was serenity.
This same river could destroy with horrific force, should it breach the levees. Floodgates upriver helped to control the quantity of water reaching us in New Orleans, yet we kept an awareness of the fragility of the earthen bulwarks. (The destruction caused by levee collapses following Hurricane Katrina proved the point.) But, oh, the peace of those rides!
God promises not only a river of love to those who love Him – He offers us His peace. We can access that peace through obedience; a peace flowing as unendingly as a river and as constant as the waves on the ocean awaits us. What a promise!
Don’t confuse peace with lack of problems. Just as the world went on beyond the levee, life – and its attendant problems – goes on. Knowing God is in control and covers us with His love gives us the haven of peace we need despite the problems.
Where do you find His peace? What helps you remember His love when the going gets difficult? Think back to a time and place where you experienced His peace and remind yourself of how it felt. Hold fast to His love, even in the bad times.
Father, we thank You for Your unending love and boundless peace. Help us to focus on You when the world offers turmoil. Keep us in Your peace.
Having grown up along the Mississippi River in New Orleans, I am familiar with the inexorable strength possessed by a moving river. I’ve often thought of the power of God’s love in those powerful terms. The peace, though, is something quite different.
I learned about that in early morning rides during a period when my father had horses. The rhythmic whisper of the waves along the levee, the call of a bird seeking a finny breakfast in the water, the majestic motion of a heavy-laden ship heading for the Gulf of Mexico - all combined with the creak of saddle leather and clop of hooves to create a peaceful haven. Although the day-to-day world existed just out of sight on the other side of a line of trees, on the levee there was serenity.
This same river could destroy with horrific force, should it breach the levees. Floodgates upriver helped to control the quantity of water reaching us in New Orleans, yet we kept an awareness of the fragility of the earthen bulwarks. (The destruction caused by levee collapses following Hurricane Katrina proved the point.) But, oh, the peace of those rides!
God promises not only a river of love to those who love Him – He offers us His peace. We can access that peace through obedience; a peace flowing as unendingly as a river and as constant as the waves on the ocean awaits us. What a promise!
Don’t confuse peace with lack of problems. Just as the world went on beyond the levee, life – and its attendant problems – goes on. Knowing God is in control and covers us with His love gives us the haven of peace we need despite the problems.
Where do you find His peace? What helps you remember His love when the going gets difficult? Think back to a time and place where you experienced His peace and remind yourself of how it felt. Hold fast to His love, even in the bad times.
Father, we thank You for Your unending love and boundless peace. Help us to focus on You when the world offers turmoil. Keep us in Your peace.
Monday, March 9, 2009
The Godparent (Number 27 in a series)
“Come, ye children, hearken unto me: I will teach you the fear of the LORD.” Psalm 34:11, KJV
I have a godmother, my dear Nanan. She prays for me, loves me and reminds me often of how precious I am to her and to God. Nanan takes her responsibility as a godparent seriously.
Over the years, I have been privileged to stand as godmother to several children, some relatives, some not. Each of those children is my official godchild. They are on my heart and in my prayers. Some are adults now, but still a child of my heart.
In the last few years, God has laid on my heart that the “official” godchildren are not my only charges. As a professing Christian, I am called to show the same love and care to all children, whether I held them at a christening and spoke vows or not. The two girls I sponsor through World Vision are easily in my prayers. What about the others?: the teens giggling in the department store, the child who smiles at me in the supermarket, the laughing children in the schoolyard I drive past are all my godchildren. So are the little one crying his heart out in the doctor’s waiting room, the homeless children in the news, and the local sports team reeling from a loss.
So my prayers have taken a slightly different turn. I still pray for my official godchildren and other children I know by name. I pray for the others by description. There is a great comfort in knowing that, although I don’t know all of their names, God does. My job is to hold out the blanket of prayer; He wraps them in it and His love.
Look around you. There are potential godchildren all around. We can care about them, lead them by example and show them God’s love in practical ways wherever possible. Where we can’t do anything else, we still can lift them in prayer.
We serve a God who has so much love to pour out, we could never contain it all. Share the overflow with the children. They are the future of society. Be the Nanan or Paran (or whatever nickname your culture uses) to every child you come into contact with and every one you hear about.
Father, we thank You for the example of love You gave us through Your precious son. Help us to remember that each and every child in the world is one of Your children. Lead us to treat them accordingly and to be a beacon to lead them to You.
© 2009 Mary Beth Magee
I have a godmother, my dear Nanan. She prays for me, loves me and reminds me often of how precious I am to her and to God. Nanan takes her responsibility as a godparent seriously.
Over the years, I have been privileged to stand as godmother to several children, some relatives, some not. Each of those children is my official godchild. They are on my heart and in my prayers. Some are adults now, but still a child of my heart.
In the last few years, God has laid on my heart that the “official” godchildren are not my only charges. As a professing Christian, I am called to show the same love and care to all children, whether I held them at a christening and spoke vows or not. The two girls I sponsor through World Vision are easily in my prayers. What about the others?: the teens giggling in the department store, the child who smiles at me in the supermarket, the laughing children in the schoolyard I drive past are all my godchildren. So are the little one crying his heart out in the doctor’s waiting room, the homeless children in the news, and the local sports team reeling from a loss.
So my prayers have taken a slightly different turn. I still pray for my official godchildren and other children I know by name. I pray for the others by description. There is a great comfort in knowing that, although I don’t know all of their names, God does. My job is to hold out the blanket of prayer; He wraps them in it and His love.
Look around you. There are potential godchildren all around. We can care about them, lead them by example and show them God’s love in practical ways wherever possible. Where we can’t do anything else, we still can lift them in prayer.
We serve a God who has so much love to pour out, we could never contain it all. Share the overflow with the children. They are the future of society. Be the Nanan or Paran (or whatever nickname your culture uses) to every child you come into contact with and every one you hear about.
Father, we thank You for the example of love You gave us through Your precious son. Help us to remember that each and every child in the world is one of Your children. Lead us to treat them accordingly and to be a beacon to lead them to You.
© 2009 Mary Beth Magee
Saturday, February 14, 2009
The Basin, the Towel and the Heart (Number 24 in a series)
"He [Jesus] riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded." John 13:4-5 (KJV)
The example of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples is often used as an example of servanthood. I was content with that explanation until recently. Now I see Jesus’ act as an expression of love for the disciples.
My mother is no longer able to bathe alone; I help her with a sponge bath each day. She washes what she can reach and I wash what she can’t. These days, that includes her feet. I place the little wash basin on the floor and she places her feet in the water, one at a time. I kneel beside her and first wash, then dry, each foot.
The first time she slipped a foot into the pan of warm water, she sighed with pleasure and said, “Oh, that feels so good.” I used the washcloth to let water run down her shin and calf, then wiped her leg, from knee to toes. Lifting her foot from the water, I dried it and repeated the process with the other foot. I found myself smiling at her delight.
And then it struck me: it gave me joy to wash her feet, because I loved giving her the pleasure of the warm water and massage of the washcloth and the resulting clean feet. Because I love her, I love to do things for her. I don’t mean to belittle all those theologians who use the basin and towel to demonstrate servanthood and its importance in the church. I just want to acknowledge the other part of the demonstration, the component that explains the first one – the love.
At the center of the servant heart is love. We serve those we love for their own sake. We serve those we love for God’s sake. Whether we wash their feet or donate money for their relief or serve food at their shelter or however else we may serve, we do it for love.
Father, thank you for sending us Your love in the form of Your Son. Help us to always reflect Your love in the service we perform, that we may always point others toward You.
© 2009 Mary Beth Magee
The example of Jesus washing the feet of the disciples is often used as an example of servanthood. I was content with that explanation until recently. Now I see Jesus’ act as an expression of love for the disciples.
My mother is no longer able to bathe alone; I help her with a sponge bath each day. She washes what she can reach and I wash what she can’t. These days, that includes her feet. I place the little wash basin on the floor and she places her feet in the water, one at a time. I kneel beside her and first wash, then dry, each foot.
The first time she slipped a foot into the pan of warm water, she sighed with pleasure and said, “Oh, that feels so good.” I used the washcloth to let water run down her shin and calf, then wiped her leg, from knee to toes. Lifting her foot from the water, I dried it and repeated the process with the other foot. I found myself smiling at her delight.
And then it struck me: it gave me joy to wash her feet, because I loved giving her the pleasure of the warm water and massage of the washcloth and the resulting clean feet. Because I love her, I love to do things for her. I don’t mean to belittle all those theologians who use the basin and towel to demonstrate servanthood and its importance in the church. I just want to acknowledge the other part of the demonstration, the component that explains the first one – the love.
At the center of the servant heart is love. We serve those we love for their own sake. We serve those we love for God’s sake. Whether we wash their feet or donate money for their relief or serve food at their shelter or however else we may serve, we do it for love.
Father, thank you for sending us Your love in the form of Your Son. Help us to always reflect Your love in the service we perform, that we may always point others toward You.
© 2009 Mary Beth Magee
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)