{"id":34977,"date":"2023-02-08T03:30:00","date_gmt":"2023-02-08T11:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/?p=34977"},"modified":"2023-02-02T10:45:59","modified_gmt":"2023-02-02T18:45:59","slug":"february-8-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lccredding.org\/church\/2023\/02\/08\/february-8-2023\/","title":{"rendered":"February 8, 2023"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Lifting Song to God<\/b><\/h2>\n<\/div>\n
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\u201cOpen my lips, Lord, and my mouth will declare your praise. You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; you do not take pleasure in burnt offerings. My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart You, God, will not despise.\u201d<\/i> Psalm 51:15-18 NIV<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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When we join in song at church, we are coming from so many different angles. Some people are joyous and have dreams coming true in their lives. Some are feeling that the darkness is just about to consume them, and this visit to church is the only speck of Light calling them in for a rescue. Others have huge choices before them, and they know that the decision will be a path-changer, and a life-altering one.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Our hearts are in a myriad of conditions on any given Sunday. Perhaps I don\u2019t want to sing, yet the band begins, the words are posted, and my mouth is loosed:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Daily daily I surrender<\/p>\n

Grace for today is all that I need<\/p>\n

Surprised by Your mercy that\u2019s new every morning<\/p>\n

Awaken my heart to sing<\/p>\n

Awaken my heart to sing<\/p>\n

I will trust where You lead<\/p>\n

I will trust when I can\u2019t see<\/p>\n

Morning by morning great is Your faithfulness to me<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

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Now I am confronted with my beliefs. I am confronted by declarations that I want to be in agreement with.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cDaily. Daily I surrender?\u201d [Well, no, I certainly haven\u2019t been acting surrendered. But it\u2019s a new day\u2014I want to surrender, God!<\/em>]\n<\/div>\n

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“Grace for today is all that I need.\u201d [Oh Lord, I need new grace today\u2014not what You gave me yesterday\u2014it\u2019s long gone. And not tomorrow\u2019s grace, because I have no idea what I will need, but I definitely need You, GOD!<\/em>]\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cSurprised by Your mercy that\u2019s new every morning.\u201d [Every morning, Lord! Wow, You are so faithful to me!<\/em>]\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cAwaken my soul to sing! Awaken my soul to sing!\u201d [If You awaken me, it will rattle me from this depressed, aimless slumber in my mind, Lord! So\u2014yes, awaken me!<\/em>]\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI will trust where You lead\u201d [You are leading me. This isn\u2019t some wild free-for-all. You have purpose for my life\u2014and You will lead me there in Your will.<\/em>]\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cI will trust when I can\u2019t see\u201d [No, I do not see where this is going, but You do, God. I will trust You. I am choosing right here and now to trust You when the future looks blurry. You have it all in focus.<\/em>]\n<\/div>\n

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\u201cMorning by morning\/Great is Your faithfulness to me.\u201d [You just never stop. God, just as You have set the sun to come up today, and every day that I\u2019ve ever been alive, You will be faithful! You WILL be faithful!<\/em>]\n<\/div>\n

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And just like that, the worship song has become a tool. Almost like a crowbar, opening a rusty treasure chest. The hymn takes a corner of my heart, begins to pry it open and there within the beaten chest, the treasure is shining once again.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Thank you, God, for the joy of meeting together to lift songs to You. What a day and age that I have been born into! May I not take it for granted that we are able to assemble together in public in America. Thank You for the gift of song. You have made us to open our mouths and hearts and sing to You. You have taken this broken heart and bathed it in your truth once again. I praise You because Your goodness amazes me. You bring me back to life over and over again. Amen.<\/i><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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*Ben Smith | Daniel Bashta | Mack Brock | Pat Barrett \/\u00a0\u00a9 2021 Capitol CMG Genesis (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)\/Capitol CMG Paragon (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)
\nHousefires Sounds (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) \/Jetfighter Music (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) \/Vamos Publishing (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing) \/Bread & Wine Sounds (Admin. by Watershed Music Group (Admin. by Capitol CMG Publishing)) \/\u00a0Bethel Music Publishing<\/h6>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>
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