Hymns

Ordinary Miracles of Grace

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We remember the fish we ate in Egypt that cost nothing, the cucumbers, the melons, the leeks, the onions, and the garlic. But now our strength is dried up, and there is nothing at all but this manna to look at.” 
Numbers 11:5-6 ESV

The illusion of recalling small delicacies made them forget their bondage, suffering and prayers for deliverance. Their longing for meat caused them to discount both the mighty miracle of the Red Sea as well as the daily miracle of manna. Just as the children of Israel grumbled about missing the food of Egypt, we must be careful of our own heart’s ungodly longing for things of our past life. In the same way we must be careful, not to miss God’s miraculous in His ordinary means of grace. The sameness of every breath and each heartbeat may lull us into complacency and ingratitude for the astonishing beauty of another sunrise, another meal shared with a loved one, another walk through our neighborhood or trip to the grocery store. We long for fireworks, excitement and the spectacular, yet God reveals His greatest beauty in small sparrows, golden lilies of the field and His ordinary miracles of grace!

Today’s Prayer: Lord Jesus, may we truly come to see you where we are, sitting right here and right now in exactly the place where you have chosen for us to be this morning. Tune our ears to hear your voice and our voice to sing your praise, for the ordinary miracle of grace given us daily through Jesus Christ our Lord!

Love Vast as the Ocean

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But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8 ESV

“Here is Love Vast as the Ocean”, was the signature song that marked the great Welsh Revival of 1904, first, under the preaching of a Methodist pastor named Joseph Jenkins and later on under a Baptist pastor named Evan Roberts. How interesting that this world-shaking revival would spring from such an out of the way place, and that its mighty waves of repentance, faith and conversion were founded not on Fire and Brimstone but on “Love Vast as an Ocean.” Maybe amidst the problems, demands and complications of your life, it has been a while since you dipped your toe in that ocean. Why not take a moment as you listen; to quietly kneel and allow the words of this song and the waves of God’s vast love roll over your heart and soul?

Counting Blessings

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Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. 
Hebrews 12:2

Some days it is hard to sing because as I look out on our audience at Life Care Center, I see people in wheelchairs, some with limbs missing, some no longer verbal, and I wonder what these words mean to them. How can they count their blessings when their life isn’t what anyone ever hoped for? And yet they sing, and they smile and some tap their feet or clap their hands because we are counting blessings together again by faith and Jesus draws near! And the Bible reminds me that Jesus counted the cross as worth it, in exchange for our salvation and for the glory that waited His return to Heaven. He didn’t count blessings with a song but with suffering and yet by faith He endured, as today’s verse tells us, by looking forward to the joys that lay ahead. I pray that no matter what you are going through this morning, that the presence of Jesus will fill your heart with grace and strength. Counting blessings is not always easy. Life is not always a song, and we do not skip down an easy road singing “Lalalala!” every day. Often the way ahead is filled with challenges, hardships and heart ache. But whatever we are experiencing this morning; Jesus has promised to never leave us. He is with us and takes our hand in His, and reminds us of the nails that pierced His, while He was counting blessings.