Songs of the Soul Day 5

 

August 1, 2025

Philippians 2:5–11 

"In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: 

Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross! Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father."

 


Philippians 2:5–11 is widely regarded as an early Christian hymn which proclaims a profound confession about Jesus Christ. It’s often referred to as the "Christ Hymn." This passage is one of the most profound expressions of Christ’s humility and exaltation in the New Testament. It calls us to have the same mindset as Jesus, a mindset marked by selflessness, humility, and obedience.

The hymns teaches that Jesus, though fully God, did not cling to His divine status or exploit it for personal gain. Instead, He willingly emptied Himself, taking on human nature and becoming a servant. He humbled Himself to the point of dying a humiliating and painful death on the cross.

But that wasn’t the end of the story. Through His obedience and humility, God raised Jesus above everything, and every knee will bow to Him.

Philippians 2:5-11 offers 3 significant concepts for us to consider today as we learn from the "Christ Hymn."

1. The call to “have the same mindset” as Christ is a powerful challenge. In a world that values power, status, and self-promotion, Jesus shows us the way of humble service. 

2. Jesus’ obedience was costly. Following God’s will may sometimes lead to sacrifice or hardship. Trusting God and obeying Him even when it’s hard is an act of faith that aligns us with Christ.

3. Christ’s humility was not met with defeat but with glory. Likewise, when we walk humbly and obediently, God promises restoration and honor, while not always immediately, but you can count on this promise to ultimately be fulfilled!

Let's Pray

Lord Jesus, you had every right to remain exalted and untouchable, but you chose humility, servanthood, and even the cross—for us. Shape our hearts by your example. Teach us to love, to serve, and to bow before you in awe. May every part of our lives echo the song of your glory. Amen.

Songs of the Soul Day 4

 July 31, 2025

Romans 11:33–36 

"Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out! 'Who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?' 'Who has ever given to God, that God should repay them?' For from him and through him and for him are all things. To him be the glory forever! Amen."

The Apostle Paul is wrapping up a section about God’s plan for Israel and the Gentiles. In our reading today, you get the impression that Paul steps back, throws his hands up, and says, “People! God’s ways are way beyond what we can fully comprehend.” Romans 11:33–36 is a doxology, a word we use for a song or prayer praising God’s greatness.

The Apostle highlights how deep God’s wisdom and knowledge are, how impossible it is for us to figure out everything God does or why He does it. Paul then reminds us that no one can advise God or out-give Him. That, every good thing flows from Him, through Him, and is all for His glory.


Our verses teach us that God is bigger than our questions. Sometimes we struggle with “Why is this happening?” or “Why does God allow that?” We are reminded that God’s wisdom is deep and unsearchable, and we won’t always get the full answers we seek in the moment, but we can trust God's perfect plan. 


Humbling isn't it? Don't we often think we can advise or tell God what to do, or at least don't we want to? But Paul is saying, nope. God’s wisdom, knowledge, and plans are way beyond us.

God is the source and goal of everything. Nothing exists apart from Him, and everything ultimately points back to Him. That means that we are part of His grand design.

This truth leads us to the some of the following responses.

1. Be honest with your questions. It’s okay to wonder and not have all the answers. Bring those questions to God instead of pushing them away.


2. Trust God’s wisdom. When life feels confusing or unfair, remember that God’s wisdom is beyond your understanding. Rest in His loving control.


3. Give God the glory. Let your life reflect that everything you have and are is because of Him. 


4. Live for Him. Since all things are for God’s glory, consider how your actions today can point others to His greatness.

Let's Pray


God, you’re so much bigger and wiser than I can ever understand. Sometimes I get frustrated when I don’t have all the answers. Help me trust you even in the mystery. Thank you for being the source of all good things and for loving me through it all. Use my life to bring glory to your name today. Amen.

Songs of the Soul Day 3

 July 30, 2025

2 Samuel 22:1–51 (also found in Psalm 18)

22 David sang to the Lord the words of this song when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul. 2 He said:

“The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer;
3 my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge,
my shield and the horn of my salvation.
He is my stronghold, my refuge and my savior—
from violent people you save me.

4 “I called to the Lord, who is worthy of praise,
and have been saved from my enemies.
5 The waves of death swirled about me;
the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me.
6 The cords of the grave coiled around me;
the snares of death confronted me.

7 “In my distress I called to the Lord;
I called out to my God.
From his temple he heard my voice;
my cry came to his ears.
8 The earth trembled and quaked,
the foundations of the heavens shook;
they trembled because he was angry.
9 Smoke rose from his nostrils;
consuming fire came from his mouth,
burning coals blazed out of it.
10 He parted the heavens and came down;
dark clouds were under his feet.
11 He mounted the cherubim and flew;
he soared on the wings of the wind.
12 He made darkness his canopy around him—
the dark rain clouds of the sky.
13 Out of the brightness of his presence
bolts of lightning blazed forth.
14 The Lord thundered from heaven;
the voice of the Most High resounded.
15 He shot his arrows and scattered the enemy,
with great bolts of lightning he routed them.
16 The valleys of the sea were exposed
and the foundations of the earth laid bare
at the rebuke of the Lord,
at the blast of breath from his nostrils.

17 “He reached down from on high and took hold of me;
he drew me out of deep waters.
18 He rescued me from my powerful enemy,
from my foes, who were too strong for me.
19 They confronted me in the day of my disaster,
but the Lord was my support.
20 He brought me out into a spacious place;
he rescued me because he delighted in me.

21 “The Lord has dealt with me according to my righteousness;
according to the cleanness of my hands he has rewarded me.
22 For I have kept the ways of the Lord;
I am not guilty of turning from my God.
23 All his laws are before me;
I have not turned away from his decrees.
24 I have been blameless before him
and have kept myself from sin.
25 The Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
according to my cleanness in his sight.

26 “To the faithful you show yourself faithful,
to the blameless you show yourself blameless,
27 to the pure you show yourself pure,
but to the devious you show yourself shrewd.
28 You save the humble,
but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them low.
29 You, Lord, are my lamp;
the Lord turns my darkness into light.
30 With your help I can advance against a troop;
with my God I can scale a wall.

31 “As for God, his way is perfect:
The Lord’s word is flawless;
he shields all who take refuge in him.
32 For who is God besides the Lord?
And who is the Rock except our God?
33 It is God who arms me with strength
and keeps my way secure.
34 He makes my feet like the feet of a deer;
he causes me to stand on the heights.
35 He trains my hands for battle;
my arms can bend a bow of bronze.
36 You make your saving help my shield;
your help has made me great.
37 You provide a broad path for my feet,
so that my ankles do not give way.

38 “I pursued my enemies and crushed them;
I did not turn back till they were destroyed.
39 I crushed them completely, and they could not rise;
they fell beneath my feet.
40 You armed me with strength for battle;
you humbled my adversaries before me.
41 You made my enemies turn their backs in flight,
and I destroyed my foes.
42 They cried for help, but there was no one to save them—
to the Lord, but he did not answer.
43 I beat them as fine as the dust of the earth;
I pounded and trampled them like mud in the streets.

44 “You have delivered me from the attacks of the peoples;
you have preserved me as the head of nations.
People I did not know now serve me,
45 foreigners cower before me;
as soon as they hear of me, they obey me.
46 They all lose heart;
they come trembling from their strongholds.

47 “The Lord lives! Praise be to my Rock!
Exalted be my God, the Rock, my Savior!
48 He is the God who avenges me,
who puts the nations under me,
49 who sets me free from my enemies.
You exalted me above my foes;
from a violent man you rescued me.
50 Therefore I will praise you, Lord, among the nations;
I will sing the praises of your name.

51 “He gives his king great victories;
he shows unfailing kindness to his anointed,
to David and his descendants forever.”

Key Verse: 2 Samuel 22:20

“He brought me out into a spacious place; he rescued me because he delighted in me.”



Not every song is written in a single sitting. Some take shape over a lifetime.

That’s the case with David’s song in 2 Samuel 22. This isn’t just something he jotted down on a good day, it’s more like a spiritual journal set to music. It reveals years of highs and lows: risk and release, big wins and personal failures, deep-rooted sin and even greater forgiveness. This song is David looking back over his life and saying, “Let me tell you what God’s done for me.”

And he starts strong:
“The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my deliverer.” (v. 2)

From there, David paints this profound picture of God in action, earthquakes shaking the ground, storm clouds swirling, lightning flashing, waters rising. But David isn’t just poetry, or lyrics. No, what he writes is intimate and personal. David is talking about the God who showed up for him time and again. When David cried out, God heard him. And God moved.

One of the most beautiful moments in this psalm of David is when he says God rescued him simply because God delighted in him. Here again grace, the unmerited favor of God shows up. Rescued: not because David had it all together. Not because he never messed up. But just because God loved him.

David had seen it all, giant-slaying moments, military victories, but also failures, including adultery and abuse of power. And still, he could say:
“You, Lord, are my lamp; the Lord turns my darkness into light.” (v. 29)

That line is striking. It tells us something important: God’s love isn’t performance-based. David’s song reminds us that even when we blow it, God doesn’t give up on us. God's covenant love, His faithful, promise-keeping love, holds steady. God rescues. God restores. And somehow, God even shines through broken people like David... and like us. Amen.



Let’s Pray

God,
You are my rock, my fortress, my deliverer. You’ve brought me through storms and struggles, some not of my making, and some of my own doing. Yet through it all, you never left me. Thank you for loving me, for delighting in me, and for lifting me up when I could not stand on my own. Let my life be a song of gratitude to you. Amen.

 

Songs of the Soul Day 2

 

July 29, 2025



1 Samuel 2:1–10

2 Then Hannah prayed:

“My heart rejoices in the Lord!
The Lord has made me strong.
Now I have an answer for my enemies;
I rejoice because you rescued me.
2 No one is holy like the Lord!
There is no one besides you;
there is no Rock like our God.

3 “Stop acting so proud and haughty!
Don’t speak with such arrogance!
For the Lord is a God who knows what you have done;
he will judge your actions.
4 The bow of the mighty is now broken,
and those who stumbled are now strong.
5 Those who were well fed are now starving,
and those who were starving are now full.
The childless woman now has seven children,
and the woman with many children wastes away.
6 The Lord gives both death and life;
he brings some down to the grave but raises others up.
7 The Lord makes some poor and others rich;
he brings some down and lifts others up.

8 He lifts the poor from the dust

and the needy from the garbage dump.

He sets them among princes,

placing them in seats of honor.

For all the earth is the Lord’s,

and he has set the world in order.

9 “He will protect his faithful ones,
but the wicked will disappear in darkness.
No one will succeed by strength alone.
10 Those who fight against the Lord will be shattered.
He thunders against them from heaven;
the Lord judges throughout the earth.
He gives power to his king;
he increases the strength of his anointed one.”



Have you noticed that some songs are birthed in brokenness, and are only later sung with a note of victory or triumph? It’s as if the song first takes "root in the soil of sorrow, watered by tears, and only later bursts forth in joy." These songs emerge from hardship: hospital rooms, lonely nights, prison cells, wilderness struggles, and the battles we barely survived.

Think of Miriam’s song in Exodus 15 that we considered in Monday’s devotion. It wasn’t composed in the safety of a palace. It was sung on the other side of a sea, just after fleeing slavery and watching God part the waters. The Israelites had been beaten down, afraid, trapped, and then God delivered them. It was out this experience that a song of triumph was composed: “The Lord is my strength and my defense; he has become my salvation.”

In todays reading we encounter Hannah’s song. A song that rises from a place of deep pain that is transformed by God’s grace. For years, she had longed for a child. Remember, Hannah lived in a culture where a woman’s worth was often measured by her ability to bear children. Hannah’s inability to conceive brought her anguish, scorn, and shame. She poured out her heart before the Lord at the temple, and God heard her cry (1 Samuel 1:10–20).

When her son Samuel was born, Hannah dedicated him to the Lord’s service. But instead of clinging to the gift, she lifted up a song of praise:

“My heart rejoices in the Lord;

The Lord has made me strong.” (v. 1)

Hannah’s song reveals some key Biblical themes like turnaround, restoration and recovery, along with rejoicing. These are themes that are repeated throughout the Psalms and are reflected in Mary’s Song in Luke 1:46–55, there we find another song sung by a woman whose life was shaped by God's miraculous intervention.

Hannah’s song celebrates God’s sovereign hand at work in the world. She boldly proclaims that it is the Lord who gives life, lifts up the humble, and brings justice where there was none.

This hymn reminds us that God sees the forgotten and acts on behalf of those the world neglects and takes no notice of. However, in God's kingdom, the last are first, and weakness becomes the place where God’s strength is revealed (2 Corinthians 12:9).

For all the earth is the Lord’s,

and he has set the world in order.

Reflect over your life today,
How have you experienced God's reversal, lifting you up in unexpected ways?

Let’s Pray

Oh God,
You always notice the ones the world forgets, and you listen when our hearts are hurting. Help me to trust you while I wait, and to praise you when blessings come. Let my life tell the story of how good you are, and may your grace be what shapes who I am.
Amen.

Songs of the Soul Day 1

 

July 28, 2025

Scripture: Exodus 15:1-21    (Click on the passage for full reading)

Focus Verse: Exodus 15:2 

“The Lord is my strength and my defense;

he has become my salvation.”

Do you find that music has a unique way of capturing moments that words alone can’t express. When we go through something intense, overwhelming, or even miraculous, sometimes the only response that truly fits the experience is a song. 

That’s exactly what happens in Exodus 15. God has just parted the Red Sea, delivered Israel from slavery, and wiped out Pharaoh’s pursuing army. The Israelites, finally free after 400 years of oppression, burst into song with the Bible’s first recorded hymn. Led by Moses and later Miriam, they sing a heartfelt song of deliverance and celebration.

“I will sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted.
Both horse and driver he has hurled into the sea.”

“The Lord is my strength and my defense;
he has become my salvation.”

This song isn’t just a celebration, it is a declaration of who God is and what God has done. It is helpful to notice how the song names God as strength, defense, salvation, warrior, majestic, faithful, and just.  These descriptions of God underscore a Bible truth that God sees, hears, rescues, and reigns.

The Exodus event stands as the central symbol of salvation throughout Scripture. Prophets, psalmists, and New Testament writers continually reference this pivotal act of God’s deliverance.

By the way, Miriam holds great significance as the first woman in the Bible to be called a prophet (v. 20). Her song represents one of the earliest instances of women leading worship in the biblical story.

Theologically, this hymn reveals the way in which salvation comes to us, not by human power, but by God's intervention. As the Biblical story unfolds, we find later on in the New Testament that this imagery of salvation by God's intervention, is fulfilled in Jesus, whose death and resurrection brings about a "greater exodus" that leads to life everlasting. 

I wonder , when has a song helped you process or celebrate something deep in your life?

What was the song?

Let's Pray

Delivering God,
You are my strength and my song. You bring victory out of defeat and hope out of despair. Teach me to remember your faithfulness like Miriam did, so I can sing even when I’m still walking through the waters. May your power and love be the music in my soul today.
Amen.

Singing the Truth Day 5

 

July 25, 2025

Lamentations 3:22–23

“Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”



“Goodness of God” 

Give it a Listen as you begin

I believe there is a reason the song “Goodness of God” seems to resonates so deeply with so many modern worshippers. It seems to put into words what many of us know in our hearts: God has been faithful. Faithful through the mountaintops and valleys, the victories and the breakdowns, His love has remained constant in our spiritual experiences.

The opening lyrics of the song confesses:

“I love You, Lord, for Your mercy never fails me. All my days I’ve been held in Your hands…”

These words emphasize the deep truth of Lamentations 3. Let us remember that the prophet Jeremiah writes these words in our Bible reading from the experience of the devastation of Jerusalem. Everything around the Prophet is crumbling, yet he clings to the truth that God’s love and mercy have not failed. His declaration, “Great is your faithfulness,” becomes an act of worship in the context of wreckage and destruction.

We often associate “goodness” with pleasant experiences, but God’s goodness is deeper than comfort, it’s an unchanging attribute of who He is.

“The LORD is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made.”    Psalm 145:9

“Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good!”    Psalm 34:8

God’s goodness is active and it is His character to bless, to rescue, to pursue. As author and preacher A.W. Tozer once said,

“The goodness of God is that which disposes Him to be kind, cordial, benevolent, and full of good will toward all.”

The refrain in our song above says,

“Your goodness is running after me.”

Sounds like the closing words of Psalm 23 doesn't it.

“Surely your goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life…”

The Hebrew word for “follow” actually means to pursue, even to chase down. God's goodness is not passive, it pursues us relentlessly, even when we wander. It's the story of the prodigal son, where the father runs to meet the lost child (Luke 15). We don’t have to chase down God’s blessings, He comes running toward us in love.

The song doesn't just praise God's goodness in general, the lyrics testify to God's presence across time:

“All my life You have been faithful…”

That’s the language of remembering, which is a core biblical practice of worship. In Deuteronomy 8, Moses urges the people to remember the Lord’s faithfulness in the wilderness, even when the journey was hard:

“Remember how the Lord your God led you all the way in the wilderness…” (v.2)


“The goodness of God is not a fragile thing. It stands even in the darkest nights. It holds when everything else gives way.”
                                                                              Charles Spurgeon


Let's Pray

Lord, You have been faithful. Even when I doubted, even when I wandered, Your goodness never let go. Thank You for running after me with Your mercy, for showing up in every season. Help me to live today with confidence in Your love and hope in Your faithfulness. Amen.

 

Singing The Truth Day 4

 

July 24, 2025

Galatians 2:20 

 “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

Take My Life and Let It Be

Give it a listen as you begin

What does it mean to say, “Take my life and let it be consecrated, Lord, to Thee”?

It means more than offering our talents or time. It means offering our whole selves—identity, ambition, habits, voice, and heart—to God. It’s not just about doing things for God but about belonging to Him entirely. Each verse of today's hymn, surrenders a different part of life to Christ: time, hands, voice, silver, intellect, and ultimately the heart and will.

Galatians 2:20 expresses this surrender with striking clarity. Paul says, “I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live…” This is a radical declaration, it speaks of an overwhelming transformation through surrender. Christ lives in me, we read. Our walk with Jesus isn’t about self-improvement.  The Bible invites us to life, where death to the self-centered way of living and new life through union with Jesus is experienced. 

This is why the hymn's repeated invitation—“Take my life... my moments... my hands... my will”—resonates so deeply. It reflects a heart transformed by the love of Christ, compelled to live not for self, but for the One who gave Himself for us.

Galatians 2:20 is a rich verse for understanding Christian identity and purpose. Theologically, it describes what happens when we are united to Christ by faith: we share in His death (crucified with Him) and His resurrection (living a new life in Him). 

We no longer live for ourselves, we live by faith in Christ. This certainly does not erase our personality or gifts; it redeems and redirects them for His glory. As John Calvin put it,

“We are not our own: therefore, neither our reason nor our will should guide our thoughts and actions. We are God’s: let us, therefore, live and die for Him.”

So, Surrender is not loss in the Bible's view, it is gain. In giving ourselves to Christ, we find who we truly are.

Imagine a sculptor shaping a lump of clay. The clay doesn’t instruct the artist, it yields to the hands that shape it. It becomes beautiful not by resisting, but by surrendering." That is our teaching challenge on this Thursday.

Today, through hymn and scripture, we’re reminded that our lives become meaningful and beautiful in God’s hands when we stop trying to control everything and simply say, “Take my life.” The lesson is that when we surrender our goals, talents, and even weaknesses to our Creator, God shapes something far more wonderful in our lives than we ever could on our own.

Let's Pray


Christ, You gave everything for me, and I no longer want to live for myself, but for You. Take my life and make it Yours, Lord. Shape my desires, guide my abilities, and fill my heart. Let my life mirror You in every word, action, and breath. Amen.

SINGING THE TRUTH DAY 3

 July 23, 2025

Psalm 16:8

“I have set the Lord always before me;

because he is at my right hand,

I shall not be shaken.”

Be Thou My Vision 

Give it a listen as you begin today.

We have noted in this series that worship is not just about what we sing, it’s about where we look, where we focus. In a distracted world like ours, worship invites us to lift our eyes and fix them on Christ. “Be Thou My Vision”  is a prayer of radical devotion: “Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart / Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.”

The psalmist in Psalm 16 captures this same heart: “I have set the Lord always before me.” Notice it’s a deliberate, daily choice to keep God at the center. In Christian theological tradition this is referred to as coram Deo, which means living our entire lives before the face of God. The teaching behind this is that when we seek God first, everything else finds its rightful place.

The hymn “Be Thou My Vision” expresses a hunger to see life through God’s eyes, to let His wisdom shape our decisions, His presence to steady our fears, and His love to direct our path. This hymn’s wonderful imagery of God as Vision, Wisdom, Battle-shield, Inheritance, Heart, offers a far-reaching vision of God’s presence in every area and experience of life.

It’s a prayer of reorientation really. In Romans 12:2, Paul exhorts believers, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” You see, devotion and worship renews our vision.

The idea of “vision” in Scripture often refers to spiritual perception.  In Ephesians 1:18, Paul prays, “that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which He has called you.” The message is that when God is our vision, we begin to see differently, we look at all things through the lens of grace, hope, and eternal purpose.

Jesus Himself said, “The eye is the lamp of the body. If your eyes are healthy, your whole body will be full of light” (Matthew 6:22). Where we direct our spiritual focus will shape every part of us. Worship, in the broad sense that we looked at yesterday, adjusts our spiritual eyes to God’s light.

As C.S. Lewis once wrote:

“I believe in Christianity as I believe that the sun has risen—not only because I see it, but because by it I see everything else.”

When God becomes our vision, we don’t just see Him, we begin to see the world precisely as God intends.

Where is your gaze today?

What are you allowing to shape your inner vision, news, fear, success, distraction, or God?

Let’s Pray

Lord of my heart, guide my vision today. In a world filled with distractions and noise, help me keep You at the center. Be my wisdom, my true Word, my joy. Let me see through Your eyes and follow Your path. Amen.

Singing the Truth Day 2

 

July 22, 2025

 

Romans 12:1

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship.”

Build My Life - Pat Barrett 

Give it a listen as you begin today.

Worship doesn’t start when the musicians start playing, and it doesn’t stop when the last song ends. I don’t know how it happened exactly but worship has come to be defined by the music we sing. Yet, worship is way bigger than music. Worship is not just something we do, it’s who we are.

In Romans 12:1, Paul gives us this bold challenge: offer your whole self to God. Not just your voice on Sunday, but your whole life, your thoughts, choices, words, actions. Every part of you can be an act of worship.

That’s what we’re singing when we say, “I will build my life upon Your love, it is a firm foundation.” That’s not just some lyrics; it is truth taken straight from Scripture. We’re declaring that Christ’s love is our firm foundation on which we build everything: our identity, our relationships, our values, our future.

Paul uses this striking image: “a living sacrifice.” Kind of a strange phrase, right? In the Old Testament, sacrifices were placed on an altar and given completely to God. However, I can find no evidence that these sacrifices ever got up and walked away. But Here in Romans 12:1 we are called to be living sacrifices, people who stay on the altar, day after day, saying, “God, I’m Yours. Use me.”

That means worship isn’t just about Sunday mornings. It’s about our "Monday meetings, Tuesday tensions, Wednesday worries…" and every ordinary moment in between. Worship has to do with how we speak to our coworkers, how we treat our families, how we spend our time, how we respond when things go “off the rails.” That’s worship too.

Jesus talked about this in His story of the wise and foolish builders (Matthew 7:24–27). Do you recall that one? One built his house on a rock, the other on sand. Both got hit by storms, but only one house stood. Why? The foundation.  If we build on the unshakable foundation of Jesus we will stand firm even when "the earth gives way and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea." (psalm 46)

Elisabeth Elliot, whose husband was killed while serving as a missionary, put it this way:

“The will of God is not something you add to your life. It’s a course you choose… You either line yourself up with the Son of God, or you go with the flow of the world.”

That’s what real worship looks like. It’s choosing that course, again and again. It’s saying, “Jesus, I want Your way to become my way.”

It means embracing humility when pride comes naturally, choosing forgiveness when bitterness pulls at us, holding onto faith when fear feels overwhelming, and always building our foundation on love.

So… worship isn’t just a song. It’s a life. One built on Jesus.

Let’s Pray

Lord, You are worthy of every breath I breathe and every choice I make. Help me to offer my life to You as a living sacrifice. Teach me to build on Your love, not my own strength or plans. Shape me into someone who worships You not just with songs, but with every step I take. Amen.

Singing the Truth Day 1

 

JULY 21, 2025

Psalm 121:1–2

“I lift up my eyes to the mountains—where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord…”


“Lord, I Need You” (Matt Maher) 

Give it a listen as you begin

When Matt Maher wrote, “Lord, I need You, oh, I need You—every hour I need You,” he wasn’t just composing lyrics; he was echoing a truth that has resonated through the hearts of believers for centuries. From the psalmist who looked to the hills, to the crowds who followed Jesus longing for healing and hope, the cry of the human heart has remained the same: We need God.

Psalm 121 begins with a glance upward, toward the mountains. Some scholars believe the psalmist might have been referencing the hills around Jerusalem, or perhaps the pagan high places where others sought help. But the psalmist’s question quickly becomes a declaration: My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth. The Poet doesn’t trust in the scenery or the symbols, he trusts in the Sovereign God.

In our modern world, we’re subtly taught to pride ourselves on independence. We’re told to “pull ourselves up by our bootstraps,” to take control, to be self-sufficient. But the way of the kingdom is different; dependence is not a weakness, it is actually the starting point of strength.

Jesus Himself modeled this. He often withdrew to pray. He told His disciples, “Apart from Me, you can do nothing” (John 15:5). The Apostle Paul echoed this when he wrote, “When I am weak, then I am strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10). The Biblical message is that true worship, true strength, true freedom, begins not with self-confidence, but God-confidence.

The song “Lord, I Need You” isn’t just a tune for Sunday, it really is a confession for every hour. Whether we are navigating a crisis or a setback or just the madness of ordinary life, we need God. And the beauty is, God delights in being needed. Our God is not bothered by our dependence. He welcomes it.


In what areas of your life are you relying on yourself instead of turning to God? Where might God be inviting you to release control and trust Him more deeply?


Let's Pray

Lord, I need You. 

Not just on the hard days, but every moment. 

Forgive me for the times I try to carry life on my own shoulders, forgetting that You are my help and strength. 

I lift my eyes to You today, my hope, my Redeemer, my ever-present help in time of need. Teach me to walk in humble dependence, and remind me that Your grace meets me right where I am. In every joy, every struggle, and every quiet moment, let my heart echo the song: “Oh God, how I need You.” Amen.

 

 

When Words Run Out

 

JULY 18, 2025

 

Romans 8:26

“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. We do not know what we ought to pray for, but the Spirit himself intercedes for us through wordless groans.”

Have you ever sat down to pray, and nothing, no words seemed to come out?

Oh, maybe you started with a few words, but they soon disappeared into silence. Perhaps for you the pain was too deep, or a circumstance seemed too complicated. Have you ever had those moments when you felt overwhelmed, or stuck, or just did not know how to begin to pray. After all, prayers need words to be spoken, words that bring clarity and confidence in what we offer to God. What if our most powerful prayers are sometimes the ones that sound more like cries and deep sighs than sentences?

Prayer, at its heart, is not a performance or a polished speech. It’s a sacred space of relationship, where we bring our hearts as they are, not as we wish they were. It’s not about impressing God; it’s about encountering Him. If you have some familiarity with Psalms in the Old Testament you can likely think of a few examples where the poet brings there heart’s as they are.

That’s, I believe, the beautiful promise of Romans 8:26. When we don’t know what to pray for, the Holy Spirit steps in. Now, it is important to understand this teaching, the Holy Spirit doesn’t correct our prayers, rather the Holy Spirit carries them. What read is that the Holy Spirit intercedes not with better wording, or fancy phrases but with “groans too deep for words.” That is holy mystery. That is wonder.

I think of the person overwhelmed by the cares of life who from their bed each night, pray with a weary deep exhale and whispers, “God, I need You.” No set formula. Just presence. Just need.

I believe what we are to understand from our reading today is that this kind of prayer might look small, but in heaven, as some has said, “it resounds with the echoes of divine intercession.” Our sighs are not ignored, they are carried by the Spirit Himself.

Prayer, then, is not a solo act, it is a participation in the loving dialogue with God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

If you feel uncertain in prayer, unsure what to say or how to say it, take heart. You’re not disqualified. In reality, you may be closer to the heart of true prayer than you realize.

Prayer is not intended to address any reluctance on the part of God. As Martin Luther once said, “Prayer is not overcoming God’s reluctance, but laying hold of His willingness.” In other words, God isn’t holding back. Rather, our God is leaning in. When we show up, even in silence, we are met by grace.

Let's Pray

God, thank You for helping me pray when I don’t have the words, through the gift of your Holy Spirit. Thank You that I don’t have to figure it all out before I come to You. Teach me to rest in Your presence and trust that Your Spirit is my intercessor. When all I have are tears, whispers, or silence, remind me that You are near, Holy Spirit, carrying every groan to the Father’s heart. In Jesus’ name, Amen.

 

Asking Honest Questions Past 3

 

July 17, 2025

Exodus 3:11–12


“But Moses said to God, ‘Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh and bring the Israelites out of Egypt?’ And God said, ‘I will be with you.’”

Think of time when you have been asked to do something that felt way beyond you. Maybe it was leading a team at work, stepping into a role at church, caring for ill family member, or standing up to defend someone when they were being unfairly criticized. Remember your first thought? Might it have been, “Who, me?” Maybe you experienced that sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach, of being unqualified and in over your head.

That’s exactly where Moses found himself when God called him from a burning bush to go face Pharaoh. If you read the whole account in Exodus 3 you will notice that Moses wasn’t exactly brimming with confidence. The reality is Moses was hiding in the wilderness, carrying the burden of failure, fear, and a messy past.

Yet God doesn’t begin with a list of Moses’ strengths to try to persuade him. God simply says: “I will be with you.” You see when God calls us, the power is not in our abilities or inability, it’s in His presence.

Moses asked, “Who am I that I should go?” (Exodus 3:11) It’s a question that comes from his insecurity, but I also believe the question is asked in honest wonder. Moses isn't refusing, but he is  reaching for answers. He’s not running, but he is wrestling with God's call. Been there? Done that?

God doesn’t scold him for being slow to obey. God simply meets Moses question with a promise: “I will be with you.” (v. 12)

That is the heartbeat of the Gospel, as the well known saying goes, "God doesn’t call the equipped. He equips those He calls." Throughout the Bible and indeed in world history, God's presence is what turns ordinary people into history-shapers. 

Think of Rosa Parks, a symbol of the civil rights movement in the US. Reflecting on that moment on the bus, she said, “I had no idea that history was being made. I was just tired of giving in.” She didn’t see herself as brave, but she knew she couldn’t stay silent.

Like Moses, Rosa Parks stood in a moment of fearful wonder. She didn’t have all the answers, but she had a quiet conviction that came from something beyond herself. God often uses those who feel the least ready to lead the most meaningful change. (READ THAT SENTENCE AGAIN)

Maybe you’ve asked questions like these:

“How can this be?” like Mary (Luke 1:34)
“Where is God in all this?” like Gideon (Judges 6:13)
“Who am I?” like Moses (Exodus 3:11)

I want us to recognize that these aren’t questions of rebellion, they’re questions of relationship. The above questions from Mary, Gideon, and Moses come from hearts willing to engage with God, even when afraid or unsure.

And Scripture assures us:

“Call to me and I will answer you...” — Jeremiah 33:3

As we noted last Sunday in our talk, wonder becomes sacred when we offer it to God. Let your wonder become prayer. Let your question become trust. Because when you’re wondering, God isn’t distant. He’s already near.

God welcomes the wondering heart. When you (we) ask, “Who am I?” He answers with, “I am with you.”

So today, if you feel unqualified, overwhelmed, or unsure, take heart. You’re in the same space Moses stood. And God still meets people in such places. 

Let's Pray

God,
Sometimes I feel too small for what lies ahead. I wonder why You would call me, or how I could ever be enough. 

Help me trust that Your presence is more than enough.
Take my questions, and turn them into prayer.
Take my insecurities, and shape them into faith.
You are faithful. You are near. You are calling, and I want to follow.
Amen.

Asking Honest Questions Part 2

 

July 16, 2025

Judges 6:13–16

12 ... the angel of the Lord appeared to Gideon, he said, “The Lord is with you, mighty warrior.”13 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but if the Lord is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our ancestors told us about when they said, ‘Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt?’ But now the Lord has abandoned us and given us into the hand of Midian.”

14 The Lord turned to him and said, “Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”

15 “Pardon me, my lord,” Gideon replied, “but how can I save Israel? My clan is the weakest in Manasseh, and I am the least in my family.”

16 The Lord answered, “I will be with you, and you will strike down all the Midianites, leaving none alive.”

What fears or doubts are you carrying right now? Go ahead, jot them down on piece of paper or list them in your mind. Ok, got them? Let’s read on.

We are in the process of looking at three voices of wonder in the Bible and how God responded to their questions. Yesterday, was Mary, today lets look at Gideon.

Gideon’s story begins not with bold faith but with intense, honest questioning. As the story tells us Gideon is hiding in a winepress, threshing wheat, trying to survive in a land flooded by Midianite oppression. When the angel of the Lord appears and calls him a “mighty warrior,” it must have felt like a joke to Gideon.

His response is painfully human:

“If the Lord is with us, why has all this happened?”

That’s not just a question, it’s a cry from someone who feels abandoned, disillusioned, and afraid. The reality is that Gideon’s wonder doesn’t result from awe, but from suffering and pain. Nevertheless, it is in moments of genuine suffering rather than outward displays of devotion that he encounters a profound spiritual connection with God.

I am always struck by the details here, notice with me that God doesn't reprimand Gideon for his question. God doesn’t offer a theological lecture, nor a timeline of divine plans. Did you notice what God did offer? God gives Gideon a calling:

“Go in the strength you have… I will be with you.”

Now, clearly Gideon's doubts aren't dismissed, but they are noble and  respected. Here is what is so profound and unexpected, I suppose, God doesn’t wait for Gideon to be a fearless “Mighty Warrior” before using him. God commissions him in the middle of the fear. Do you see that?

This, for me, is the mystery of grace: God doesn’t wait until we have it all together before He calls us. Sometimes the very things that make us feel disqualified, our fears, our questions, our sense of weakness, are the very places where God chooses to move. The Apostle Paul understood this when he wrote that “His strength is made perfect in our weakness.”(2 Corinthians 12:9).

Philip Yancey once wrote:

“Faith is not the absence of doubt. It is the means to push through it.”

Faith isn't pretending everything makes sense. It’s moving forward, sometimes limping like Jacob, sometimes crawling like the hemorrhaging women in the Gospel, advancing step by step in trust that God is with us even when answers aren’t.

Think of a chaplain walking into a hospital room after a tragic loss. There are no words to explain why. But their presence, the quiet prayer, the willingness to listen, becomes a powerful, comforting witness. They don’t erase the pain, but they represent hope. Think of aid workers in disaster zones or volunteers in war-torn communities, their call isn’t rooted in comfort, but in conviction. They say something like this: “I don’t have all the answers. But I’m here. And I believe God is too.”

That’s what Gideon learns: His strength isn’t in himself. It’s in the One who sends him.

And that’s true for us, too.

You may be in a season where wonder looks more like, “Where are You, God?” than “Wow, Our God is an awesome God.” But don’t disregard those questions. They may be the very place where your calling begins.

REFLECT

Let’s return to the question we began with “What fears or doubts are you carrying right now?” Do you have your list? Now reflect on the following questions.

Can you hear God’s voice, not answering all your questions, but gently saying, “I will be with you”?

How might God be calling you to go in the strength you have, not the strength you wish you had?


Let’s Pray

God of strength and mercy,
You meet us not in the places of certainty, but in the middle of our questions.
Like Gideon, we often wonder why hardship comes, why suffering is allowed, and where You are in the middle of it all.
Thank You for not turning away from our doubts, but for turning them into invitations.

Help us to trust, not because we see everything clearly, but because You promise to go with us.

Give us courage to step forward in the strength we have,
And to know that Your presence is more powerful than our fear.
Use even our questions to shape the mission You’ve called us to.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen.