Tuesday, October 25, 2011

Spiritual Music

I listen to spiritual music while driving, and sometimes while at home. It helps to focus my mind and my spirit on Christ and on my relationship with Him. I love Casting Crowns, and they are probably my favorite group now. I also like Chris Tomlin; his music has been played quite a bit at the church. In fact, "Our God" was probably one of the first Christian songs, after "You Raise Me Up", that I came to recognize.

     Our God is greater,
     Our God is stronger,
     God You are higher
     Than any other.
     Our God is healer,
     Awesome in power.
     Our God!
     Our God!

Oftentimes, I feel the presence of God just from the music. I can feel His arms embracing me, or feel His spirit in my chest, or just feel Him in the space around me. It's unlike anything I've ever known before, and I thank God each and every day for leading me to Him. I've recently taken up the sport of bicycle riding on the Longleaf Trace that stretches from Hattiesburg to Prentiss (although the farthest I've been is just to Sumrall!), and one thing I like to do while riding is to sing the songs of praise in my head. Or just talk to Him, but then again, singing the songs is very much like talking to Him anyway. :)

Steve's favorite Casting Crowns song is "Oh Glorious Day (Living He Loved Me)", which is indeed a fantastic song, and for me shares the spotlight with another CC song called "Jesus, Hold Me Now" as my favorites.

     Living, He loved me,
     Dying, He saved me,
     Buried, He carried my sins far away,
     Rising, He justified freely forever
     One day He's coming,
     Oh glorious day! Oh glorious day!

The lyrics are just so powerful and so praising of Christ's glory! My other favorite has the lyrics:

     Jesus, hold me now!
     I need to feel You in this place,
     To know You're by my side,
     And hear Your voice tonight.
     Jesus, hold me now!
     I long for Your embrace,
     I'm beat and broken down,
     I can't find my way out.
     Jesus, hold me now....

It's really no mystery how these powerful lyrics were part of my conversion and played a huge part in my being saved. How could anyone listen to these words and not be moved? The spirit is just so strong in each and every line here! Another song that melted my cold heart was by Avalon, called "In Christ Alone". Part of the lyrics are:

     There in the ground His body lay
     Light of the world by darkness slain:
     Then bursting forth in glorious Day
     Up from the grave he rose again!
     And as He stands in victory
     Sin's curse has lost its grip on me,
     For I am His and He is mine -
     Bought with the precious blood of Christ.


And then there's another favorite of Steve's, which has also become one of mine, called "Shout To The Lord":


     Shout to the Lord, all the earth let us sing
     Power and majesty, praise to the King
     Mountains bow down and the seas will roar
     At the sound of Your name
     I sing for joy at the works of Your hands
     Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand
     Nothing compares to the promise I have in You

The beauty, the majesty, the compassion, and the pure love of the Lord is self evident in so many songs of faith! The Lord wants us to rejoice in Him, to feel joy and peace, to know that we are loved! When I was baptized, I was so filled with joy and happiness that I didn't even respond appropriately when Jay asked me if I had any family in the audience. I didn't, but I did have 4 friends out there ready to stand up for my baptism, but it didn't register what Jay was asking, so they weren't given a chance to stand for me. I'm sure 2 others would have as well, since those 2 didn't know I was to be baptized that day and they did come up and hug me afterwards. But I shall not beat myself up about it; mentally and spiritually, they were standing for me! I was also so out of it that all I could do was nod my head, making me look rather like a bobblehead lol. Oh well, it's not as if Christ cares if I'm a bobblehead while being saved or not!

And on that note, I'll end this posting! Until next time, may the Lord God watch over you and fill you with peace and unending joy!

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