Journal for Christ: A Better Song

December 9, 2021

Worship in WORD

Ps 31:19-22

19 Oh, how abundant is your goodness,

which you have stored up for those who fear you

and worked for those who take refuge in you,

in the sight of the children of mankind!

20 In the cover of your presence you hide them

from the plots of men;

you store them in your shelter

from the strife of tongues.

ESV

Ps 31:19-22

19 How great is your goodness,

which you have stored up for those who fear you,

which you bestow in the sight of men

on those who take refuge in you.

20 In the shelter of your presence you hide them

from the intrigues of men;

in your dwelling you keep them safe

from accusing tongues.

NIV (1984)

Ps 31:18-22

19 Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!

20 Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.

KJV

Ps 31:19-22

19 How great is the goodness

you have stored up for those who fear you.

You lavish it on those who come to you for protection,

blessing them before the watching world.

20 You hide them in the shelter of your presence,

safe from those who conspire against them.

You shelter them in your presence,

far from accusing tongues.

I. Hope – vv. 1-8

A. Action – v. 1

B. Appeal – v. 2

C. Acknowledge – vv. 3-4

D. Abandon – v. 5

E. Abhor – v. 6

F. Acclaim! – vv. 7-8

II. Help! – vv. 9-18

A. Sorrow – vv. 9-13

1. Soul sickness – vv. 9-10

2. Societal scorn – vv. 11-13

B. Sovereign – vv. 14-18

1. Surrender – vv. 14-15

2. Shine – v. 16

3. Shame – v. 17

4. Silence – v. 18

III. Hail – vv. 19-22

A. God, for His Great Goodness – v. 19

B. God, for His Sheltering Presence – v. 20

C. God, for His ds#j# Hesed – V. 21

D. God, Who Hears and Answers His People – v. 22

IV. Heart – vv. 23-24

Thought flow: Hope→Help!→Hail→Heart

Hail, interj. - An exclamation of respectful or reverent salutation

B. Hail God, for His Sheltering Presence – v. 20

High and thick walls may come to mind when we think of a shelter or fortress – places that protect us from the forces of nature or the fury of our enemies. But what does the sheltering presence of God look like? After all, the Lord is spirit and the invisible God. We can't see His presence, though it fills all creation, yet God is not part of it and is above it.

So how does God manifest it? In a garden where all was good? In an ark floating on a flood? In a dream full of promise or a mountaintop of testing? Amidst thunder and fire and awe at the giving of the law? Was it in the fire falling from heaven or a still, small voice? In five smooth stones or ascension to a throne? Through prophets, priests, and kings, did his presence He bring? Was it in a virgin's cry for a son born to die? Was it in a Dove descending and a Voice commending? In a garden or a grave? Or on a cross dying for those, He came to save?

Yes, in the fire and the flood. In His glory and His blood. God has manifested His presence. And He still manifests His presence even today. Perhaps not in fire from the sky, but a newborn’s cry. Not in rumbling earth but the glory of new birth. In the stillness or the storm. In Palaces or a college dorm, He makes known His presence to all who have eyes to see. His voice is heard in nature and the Word for all who have ears to hear. He makes known His presence both in fulfilling His promises and all His acts of providence. To David and to all who know Him, He doesn't set a hedge of protection around them. He is their Hedge! We may suffer losses and harm, but we are still held in His arms. Through fire and flood, we are protected by Christ’s blood. And now our life has become a mystery to the world. Because we now glory in our pain and dying is gain.

Worship in Witness:

I need not say much more. The “Worship in Word” says enough. But, as Christmas approaches, perhaps like me, the joy seems elusive sometimes. Sorrow and suffering cannot be comforted by tinsel and toys. That’s when God’s sheltering presence needs to become our comforting presence as He protects us against the darts of depression the devil hurls at us. Let the light of God’s presence shine and dispel the darkness that seeks to envelop us in sorrow and despair. Do not let the “Grinches” this Christmas steal our joy. Let us sing as they did in Whoville when all seemed lost.

Welcome, Christmas! Fah who rahmus!
Welcome, Christmas! Dah who dahmus!
Christmas Day will always be!
Just as long as we have we!

But not only do we have “we!” But we have “He!” And He is enough. And we sing a better song.

Through many dangers, toils and snares

I have already come,

'Tis grace has brought me safe thus far

And grace will lead me home

And

The Lord has promised good to me

His word my hope secures;

He will my shield and portion be,

As long as life endures.

And we cry out

Yea, when this flesh and heart shall fail,

And mortal life shall cease

I shall possess within the veil,

A life of joy and peace.

And one day

When we've been there ten thousand years

Bright shining as the sun,

We've no less days to sing God's praise

Than when we've first begun.

Amen!

Worship in Promise, Poem, Prayer, and Praise

https://external-content.duckduckgo.com/iu/?u=https%3A%2F%2Ftse3.mm.bing.net%2Fth%3Fid%3DOIP.YXOKCM8x8z_HUjzXtpWJwAHaHa%26pid%3DApi&f=1

We Sing Praise

We sing praise

Our hands we raise

For Your mercy

And Your kindness,

And Your grace

For You are good, God

You are great, God

You comfort us

With Your staff

And Your rod

So we praise You

We thank you

We rejoice, Lord

In Your presence

For mercies new

I will sing to the Lord all my life;

I will sing praise to my God as long as I live.

Ps 104:33 NIV

My Slow Heart

Lord,

Quicken my slow heart that I may believe

All the promises You have for me.

Open my eyes that I may see

The glory of Your presence and worship Thee!

Amen.

Adorn My Life, Lord

Deaths, desertion, and divorce have wracked both my family and me. In this dark valley, I sit alone in my house, once adorned by love and a smiling face to greet me every morning when I come home from work. Now bereft of these graces - an unlit tree and Christmas displays accentuate the darkness. But look! One display is still lit up - my nativity figurines. They remind me that eternal love has come into this dark world and shines into the hearts of His chosen, a love that will never die or abandon you and me. A light that cannot be extinguished. Come Lord and adorn my life with the ornaments of Your love, joy, and peace. Light it up with Your grace, glory, and goodness. Wrap it in the garland of Your holiness. May the star of hope that bedecks the “highest bough” continually guide me to "Thy perfect light." Amen

This time of the year always brings fond memories of Christmastime when I was a kid. Christmas caroling, midnight candlelight services, sledding, snow forts, and snowball fights. However, things are different now that I have arrived at “senior citizen” status. Not the fact of my age so much as finding myself in a time in life where circumstances are not as I expected or hoped for. Driving home from my mom’s tonight had me thinking about this. A feeling of melancholy came over me again, much like what I felt the other night when I wrote the piece that precedes what I am writing now. This is a time of sadness for many who, like me, have memories of a joyous season growing up. But our lives took an unexpected turn, or perhaps for some of you, one you saw coming and dreaded. As I drove, my thoughts then turned to the message in this journal entry. Was I trusting in the abiding and comforting presence of God? So I prayed and asked the Lord to comfort me with His presence, and then this song began to play over the car speakers. I had only heard this song once before, but something (Someone?) told me to listen to the words. So I did and began to lift a hand (after all, I was driving) in praise as His comfort washed over me. Perhaps you won’t have the same visceral reaction to the lyrics that I did, but they ministered to me at that moment, and God got the praise!

"Here To Stay"

There's a song in the air

And I'm choosing to sing it

Gonna lay down my worries

This holiday

There's a light everywhere

And I'm choosing to see it

It won't go away, it won't ever fade

Cause I believe

The baby in the stable

Is the only one who's able

To bring comfort and peace

That's never gonna leave

There is hope for every season

And Jesus is the reason

Love came down on Christmas day

Now my hope is here to stay

Here to stay, here to stay

Decorations come down

And the calendar changes

But the celebration goes on

Cause the good news remains (good news remains)

And the truth of Your promise

Will never be gone

It's not something we'll lose, it carries us through

All year long

The baby in the stable

Is the only one who's able

To bring comfort and peace

That's never gonna leave

There is hope for every season

And Jesus is the reason

Love came down on Christmas day

Now my hope is here to stay

(Oh, my hope is here to stay

Oh, my hope is here to stay)

My hope is here to stay, here to stay

(Hope came down from Heaven)

My hope is here to stay, here to stay

(And it's never gonna leave)

Here to stay, here to stay

(And He came to bring us peace)

Here to stay, here to stay

The baby in the stable

Is the only one who's able

To bring comfort and peace

That's never gonna leave (never gonna leave)

There is hope for every season

And Jesus is the reason

Love came down (love came down) on Christmas day

Now my hope is here to stay

Here to stay, here to stay

(Hope came down from Heaven)

Here to stay, here to stay

(And it's never gonna leave)

Here to stay, here to stay

(Oh and He came to bring us peace)

My hope is here to stay, here to stay

Writer(s): Tyrus Dean Morgan, Michael Cochren, Hannah Elizabeth Kerr

Lyrics: https://www.azlyrics.com/lyrics/hannahkerr/heretostay.html

Video: https://youtu.be/1AX34jEvykA

Journal for Christ

Saturday, December 11, 2021

A Better Song

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