Two songs came up during worship this weekend that always seem to have a great impact on me.
“Your Great Name” was the first one. Ever since I first heard the song way back when, when I get to verse two the tears inevitably start to spring up…
“All the weak; find their strength; at the sound of Your Great Name
Hungry souls; receive grace; at the sound of Your Great Name
The fatherless; they find their rest; at the sound of Your Great Name
Sick are healed, and the dead are raised. At the sound of Your Great Name”
The sick are healed and THE DEAD ARE RAISED!! Thank you Jesus for your great name!
I always see my brother’s face during this song and I’m reminded that we will meet again. But for now, he rests in paradise alongside our Savior. Thank you Jesus for that too!!
The second song played was “Break Every Chain”. I remember the first time I’d heard this song. We had attended our church for the first time one Sunday and they announced a Holy Spirit night for that evening. We had no idea what that meant but we were intrigued! We went back that night and encountered the Holy Spirit like we never had before, and this was one of the songs they played. I remember thinking “this song repeats over and over and over and seems to never end!!” When the following verse came up, I realized what part of my husband and I’s purpose is as parents…
“There’s an army rising up
There’s an army rising up
There’s an army rising up
To Break every chain
Break every chain
Break every chain”
We were to train our children up to be warriors for God. Sound radical and a little “out there?” It is but I’ve discovered it’s necessary. I have been witness to the spiritual war happening all around us and to us. I feel it, I see it, and now I’m learning how to fight it. I don’t always win my battle but a lesson is always learned. And we are teaching this to our children. To pray for one another openly and often. To teach them how much God loves them and has a plan for them. To teach them how to hear God’s voice and follow His commands. To teach them how to tell the difference between God’s voice and the voice of the enemy. Because there is an enemy and he doesn’t want good things for us… He brings pain. And perpetuates lies. And tricks us into placing our value and worth in things of this world.
At this point you may write me off as a religious zealot. But let me say this… I have lived life my way. It didn’t turn out so great. And now I choose to live God’s way. I’m happier. I’m freer. I’m more confident and joyful. I don’t feel shameful. I’m less stressed. There is so much FREEDOM in a life with JESUS! You learn to let go and let God. And boy does it feel great!!
But back to this song. I had always seen my children, and the next generation, as the army rising up. But I see myself as part of that at now too. Chains can be broken in my life too. And I can (and should) help others bring their chains to Jesus to be freed.
I’m so grateful to have come to these realizations at this point in my life. Just as was spoken today at church, God loves us and doesn’t want us or any of our family or friends to go to hell. He wants to save us all! He didn’t create us to dessert us. He created us to live fully in His plan and to live eternally with him…not apart from Him.
Wow. Just wow.
If you continued to the end of this post…pat yourself on the back š If you want to comment or send me an email, please do and I will pray for you. If you have a question or don’t yet know Jesus, just comment below or email me. God wants you with Him. He loves you and nothing you can do will ever change that.
Blessings to you, my friends.
lyilastroup 