“You’re Beautiful” | Shane and Shane
When we arrive at eternity’s shore
Where death is just a memory and tears are no more
We’ll enter in as the wedding bells ring
Your bride will come together and we’ll sing
You’re beautiful
I’ve created a playlist on Spotify featuring all the songs from Midweek Music, feel free to follow it along with the posts.
“Take Heart” | Hillsong United
The end of September means one thing to me: it’s almost time for Christmas. I know some of you are “purists” who want each of your holidays in order with no intersection whatsoever. But consider that I’m a planner and I work in ministry. I started preparing for Christmas and Advent in late August, it’s the busiest season of the liturgical year, not to mention my favorite!
In my preparation for this season, I’ve spent a good time dwelling on light. I like the idea of Christ personified as light. I take overwhelming comfort in the fact that in this dark world, there is a light of hope to follow. This isn’t a Christmas song per se, but there is definitely an inadvertent Christmas message behind it. With the birth of Christ, we were given a light…a light of hope…a light of hope that we know will never fail.
Take heart, the wait has just begun but our light of hope is on the horizon.
I’ve created a playlist on Spotify featuring all the songs from Midweek Music, feel free to follow it along with the posts.
“Greater” | MercyMe
There’s a lot wrong with this world. Like everything. See, I’m a bit of what John Piper terms a “Christian Hedonist”. I really do believe that there is no good in this world except that which Christ brings into it. I believe that my base desire is not to do good of my own nature but to serve Christ and glorify Him thereby giving me the most satisfaction and joy in life.
Because of this, I don’t have to be defined by who or what I am. I am defined by my relationship with Christ and what he makes me in spite of my own failings. I’m going to fail at things. I’m going to be disappointed and I’m going to disappoint. I’m going to shame and be shamed. I’m going to experience and cause pain. You are too. It’s our nature.
We are broken humans. I’m thankful for a God who is greater than me. I’m thankful for a God who, through redeeming love, grace, and mercy; makes me greater than that of which I am capable by myself.
I’ve created a playlist on Spotify featuring all the songs from Midweek Music, feel free to follow it along with the posts.
“You Are My Vision” | Rend Collective
I’m a fan of traditional and contemporary worship. Why? Ultimately, I’m a “fan” of any type of worship service that allows a person to actively focus on truly worshiping God. If a Charles Wesley hymn edifies your relationship with God and allows you to express your adoration for Him, sing it. If the latest Hillsong worship song does that for you, sing it. If not singing at all, but sitting back and feeling immersed in the music and experiencing God’s presence is how you worship, do it.
I like it when “old” meets “new”. That’s one reason I like this song. Another reason I like it is the subtle change in lyrics.
“Be thou my vision…”
“You are my vision…”
Rather than making a request, we make a firm declaration. You are my vision. You are my wisdom. You are my battle-shield. You are High King of Heaven.
I’ve created a playlist on Spotify featuring all the songs from Midweek Music, feel free to follow it along with the posts.
“Come to the River” | Ronnie Freeman
It has been some kind of week. One of those weeks where every aspect of your life is invaded by stress and you feel like there is no escape. That kind of week.
I heard this song for the first time about 11 years ago. Ronnie was the worship leader for a time at the church in which I grew up. He left when I was still young to pursue a solo career and after a few years of success, he returned to the church for a homecoming concert at which he performed this song. It became one of those songs that I just fall into. I can listen to it over and over and it never grows old and always encourages me.
I’m doing this song on Sunday for communion, something I planned weeks ago. I didn’t know when I planned it into worship that I would be having the week I’m having, I just felt led to put it on this Sunday. Being able to practice this song and listen to it over the last week has been a great source of comfort and rest for me. It’s in those moments where something falls into place, something I felt led by God to do in the first place, that bring me the greatest comfort. The idea that maybe, just maybe, God knew I was going to need this song this week. That maybe someone in the congregation needs to hear this song, this week. That maybe someone reading this right now needs to hear this song, this week. Rest in God and be comforted by His incredible peace.
I’ve created a playlist on Spotify featuring all the songs from Midweek Music, feel free to follow it along with the posts.
“Your Love Is Strong” | Jon Foreman
Some days, it’s hard to love. I’m called to love those with whom I agree and disagree. Some days, it’s harder to love. It’s a part of my broken nature to not want to love, but that doesn’t make it okay. I’m not called to love out of convenience. I’m not called to love out of agreement. I’m called to love because I am loved.
I find myself encouraged by Christ loving me despite myself. There’s not a day goes by that I don’t disappoint yet he still loves me. That’s how strong His love is for us. I’m encouraged by that love…even on the hard days.
I’ve created a playlist on Spotify featuring all the songs from Midweek Music, feel free to follow it along with the posts.
“Unwanted”…that’s the word that stands out to me from this screenshot. That is the word that breaks me and makes me want to cry out. The unadulterated selfishness is daunting.
“Your life, your essence, your very existence…the mere thought of you is not worth me sacrificing my dreams because you are unwanted.” That’s what this comment is saying about a child…a human being.
I want answers for substandard education. I want improvements made to a broken healthcare system. I want opportunities for people to break out of their socioeconomic bindings. I want to feed the hungry, clothe the poor, shelter the homeless…but when did any of these become more important than someone’s most basic right to simply have a life in the first place?
“My college dreams are worth more than your life.” How can you put a measurable value on life? I can put a monetary value on a college education, healthcare, food, clothing, and shelter among other superficial things. But how is it even feasible for someone to place a monetary value on the life of a human being? I couldn’t even begin to care if any aborted baby ever cured aids or cancer. Why is that even an argument? The value of your life will never be determined by the remarkable things society thinks you have or have not done. There is value to be had in having a life.
“Perfect”. Not only is this total devaluation of life condoned, it’s celebrated. That’s not daunting, it’s disturbing. How can anyone think that there is anything perfect about an argument that would place going to college on a higher level than the life of a child.
I’m broken by this. It saddens me to new depths to see this screenshot circulating on social media. In the time it took me to write this short post, babies were aborted. Lives were ended…and there is nothing “perfect” about that.
“Christ is Enough” | Hillsong Worship
We all “need” something from time to time. A new car, new clothes, certain foods, different job, more money, better social status, etc… I can’t tell you how many times I’ve been guilty of “needing” something that, in actuality, I didn’t.
We play a game with God. “Give me (insert item) and I’ll do better about (insert spiritual attribute)”. We treat our relationship with Christ like a points-based reward system. I’m just curious when Christ stopped being good enough. When did his unjustified love and grace towards us stop being more than what we deserve.
It’s hard to live the words of this song. It’s hard living in a material world and not being a material girl (or guy) to reference a song with a different mindset. It’s hard but it’s worth it. Letting Christ be more than enough, let alone enough, is so worth it. Commit yourself to Christ, be encouraged by his unmitigated grace, and follow the direction toward which he is leading you. Let Christ be enough.
I’ve created a playlist on Spotify featuring all the songs from Midweek Music, feel free to follow it along with the posts.
“By Our Love” Christy Nockels
This song has been stuck in my head for quite some time now. With the recent political climate, both in the last few months and beyond, Christians have become known for what they are against and what they dislike.
It’s easy to be on the defense. It’s easy to sit back and wait for someone to say anything you don’t like and then make sure everyone knows you don’t like it. But imagine a world where Christians proactively worked towards being on the offensive side of love.
What if Christians, instead of being known for what we don’t like, were known for showing love and kindness. What if Christians were known for feeding the hungry, helping the poor and the homeless, healing the sick. What is Christians were known by their love.
I’ve created a playlist on Spotify featuring all the songs from Midweek Music, feel free to follow it along with the posts.
“Tear Down the Walls” Hillsong United
This song is directly tied to what God has constantly placed on my heart as of late. The vast majority of the church has become egocentric. In our outreach, in our corporate and personal worship, in our message…we hide behind a false persona of who we want Christ to be rather than who he actually is.
Rather than let Christ reflect on us so that we can be more like Him, we reflect ourselves onto this false persona of Christ we create…in essence we create a Christ that is simply a model of ourselves and worse yet, we worship it.
We have actively built up walls to shut out the noise of anyone who disagrees with our perception of Christ. We use these walls to protect these perceptions. The thing is, Christ isn’t yours to protect. More so, Christ isn’t yours. Christ doesn’t belong to you, you belong to Christ.
It’s time to tear down the walls, open our eyes, reach out, and love. Lord, let love tear down these walls.
I’ve created a playlist on Spotify featuring all the songs from Midweek Music, feel free to follow it along with the posts.
Midweek Music is a new series published on Wednesdays that will be replacing Music Monday.
'til only You remain 