I Am Your Beloved.

It's been quite a while.  I ventured off into Christian/Gospel Rap that I'm still really enjoying the message and energy of.  There haven't been new worship songs per se that caught my attention.  Until this set of songs from Melissa and Jonanthan Helser.  (They did Abba that's quite a ways back in this list.)  

I didn't know my heart and soul needed a song until I heard this one.  The line "the One who knows me best, is the One who loves me most" is healing me.  I feel utterly unknown in this world.  Yet there's always a still, quiet voice that says "God knows" every time I think "who knows" or "who cares".  

Que the tears...

I’ve heard the accusation
And I’ve heard the propaganda
I’ve heard the lies they whispered to my soul
That I have been forsaken
And I’ll always be forgotten
No matter what I do it’s not enough

But then I heard a voice
As it opened up the heavens
Reminding me of who I’ve always been

I am Your beloved, You have bought me with Your blood
And on Your hand You’ve written out my name
I am Your beloved, one the Father loves
Mercy has defeated all my shame

There’s no accusation, or any condemnation
When I look into my Father’s eyes
They don’t see my sin, they only see redemption
This is how my heart has been defined

I can hear a voice
That is louder than the thunder
Reminding me of who I’ve always been

I am Your beloved, You have bought me with Your blood
And on Your hand, You’ve written out my name
I am Your beloved, one the Father loves
Mercy has defeated all my shame

The One Who knows me best
Is the One Who loves me most
There is nothing I have done
That could change the Father’s love

Oh the One Who knows me best
Is the One Who loves me most
There is nothing I have done
That could change the Father’s love

Oh the One Who knows me best
Is the One Who loves me most
There is nothing I have done
That could change the Father’s love

I am Your beloved, You have bought me with Your blood
And on Your hand You’ve written out my name
I am Your beloved, one the Father loves
Your mercy has defeated all my shame

I am Your beloved, You have bought me with Your blood
And on Your hand You’ve written out my name
I am Your beloved, one the Father loves
And Your mercy has defeated all my shame

I can hear the feet of the Father running
I can hear the feet of the Father running
Oh I can hear the feet of the Father running
Oh I can hear the feet of the Father running

It’s like a stampede of grace
Coming my way
Mercy I never earned
Grace I never deserved
Coming to bring me home again
I can hear the Father calling my name
I can see the face of my Father
I can hear the voice of my Father calling out my name
I can hear the Father
I can hear the heart
I can hear the heart of my Father
Here He comes, here He comes, here He comes

Oh the One Who knows me best
Is the One Who loves me most
There is nothing I have done
That could change the Father’s love

Let’s sing it

Oh the One Who knows me best
Is the One Who loves me most
There is nothing I have done
That could change the Father’s love

Phenomena (Da Da) - Hillsong Young and Free

This is the first one I heard from the EP.  It's a great song, but the video is where it's at!  What's cool is I've seen video of several youth/kids camps this summer that had very similar worship times.  I know that I know one day soon this will be in the streets in our cities.  God will start an unstoppable fire in their hearts. 

Pride of a Father - Hillsong Young and Free

When You see me, You see my heart, through the eyes of Your mercy, in the light of Your Son. You love me with open arms, and the pride of a father.

It's been a while. Lots of reasons for that, none worth writing about at this time.

Other than always finding new worship songs for me, I'm always looking for worship songs for Noah. I've always tried to take seriously guarding his mind and soul by at least somewhat limiting what he watches and listens to. It's not easy. And it will certainly not get any easier in the next few years. But it's also more important than ever. It's not enough to say no, you can't watch or listen to X. There has to be really good alternatives.

So I was really happy when I ran across the first song on this playlist - linked right over there in the sidebar. This is not the first song, but this is the one that I believe is a crucial message for young people right now. I love that this EP is done by young people. I know God has started a work in young people that's going to grow and spread and change the world - literally. He has not written off any generation, certainly not the young.

If you've got pre-teens and teens in the house, have them give the playlist a listen.  

Save Us Oh God - Kevin Prosch

We confess, the sins of our nation.  Lord, we are guilty of a prayerless life.  We've turned away our hearts from Your love and taken for granted Your unchanging grace.  Turn away this curse from our country.  We say that we've robbed you, and our storehouses are bare.  Open wide the floodgates of heaven.  Rebuke the devourer so we may not be destroyed. 

You said that if we humble ourselves and begin to pray You would heal our barren land and cleanse us with Your rain.  Don't pass us by.  Let this be the generation Lord, that lifts up your name to all the world.  Save us oh God.

Another song from the late 90s.  I'm not sure it could ever be more timely.  I think a lot about how God moved in the 1990s.  And then it all faded.  I don't know why.  But there are rumblings and signs of the beginnings of a great revival on the near horizon.

Isaiah 59:19  So shall they fear The name of the LORD from the west, And His glory from the rising of the sun; When the enemy comes in  like a flood, The Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him.

What has the last year, last decade, been if not the enemy coming in like a flood?  I believe the enemy knows his days are so limited.  He's like a toddler throwing his last tantrum before bedtime.  One of the best phrases in the Bible is "but God..."  But God will lift up a standard against him.  I believe we're about to see the God of Psalms, the God David knew, the God who dealt with the wicked and just.  The God of righteousness and justice.  The God of powerful mercy and grace. 

Thank You, Lord! - Dennis Jernigan

For all that You've done I will thank you.  For all that You're going to do.  For all that You've promised, and all that You are, is all that has carried me through.  Jesus, I thank You.

Thank You for loving and setting me free.  Thank You for giving Your life just for me.  How I thank You.

Another throwback.

I love the simplicity of this song.  It's stayed with me for decades.  It pops into my head at random times and is so sweet.  

I think it's harder to thank Him for things He's going to do.  I pray for them.  I try to have faith for them.  But to thank Him, sincerely, before something happens is a little new.  Recently at church someone said to thank Him and praise Him for something we're praying for - seeing at as if it's already done.  There's nothing in this life I want more than for Noah to know and follow Jesus.  And in that moment I had a picture of him receiving Jesus and us just hugging.  To see what that moment could like look was just so encouraging.  It does build faith.  Also knowing that Jesus wants that more than I do, and that He will work it out.  I can trust Him. 

Hey Jesus - Elyssa Smith

Hey Jesus, You move me, You wreck me every time.  It's not a new kind of love, it's a new kind of beautiful.

Oh does He wreck me.  With His love and goodness.  I almost always have tears during worship.  I've been taking an old fashioned handkerchief for months now.  I don't even always know the why behind the tears.  Sometimes it's just my body's reaction to all that's happening inside.  For a couple months, there has been a small taste of deep joy behind the tears.  [[Psalm 34:8]] "Oh, taste and see that the Lord is good.  Blessed is the man who trusts in Him!"  I don't know how to explain this "tasting".  

Talking To Jesus - Brandon Lake

What a friend we have in Jesus!

There's no wrong way to do it.  There's no bad time to start.  It don't have to sound pretty.  Just tell Him what's on your heart.  Cuz it's not a religion.  Cuz it's more like a friendship.  Just talk to your Father like you are His kid.  Just start talking to Jesus.  

Here's to all the parents and grandparents who have prayed over and taken their kids to church over all the years.  Those prayers are powerful.  The example set is priceless. 

Being friends with Jesus has been a big theme so far.  I love the familiar story of this song.  I love the simplicity of the message.  If you've never prayed in your life, it can be so simple to just talk to Jesus.  And if you've been praying for decades it might be good to just talk to Jesus like you would your best friend.  

It can be so good to embrace the paradoxes of my faith.  Yes, Jesus is Lord of Lords and King of Kings sitting at the right hand of the Father interceding for us constantly.  He is also the friend that sticks closer than a brother.  I'm still developing that friendship.  Learning to literally chat with Him throughout the day about all the things.  Learning to give Him space to respond.