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Listen while you read: "All The Way My Saviour Leads Me"1 (Lyrics) |
Psalm 150:6 – Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! (ESV)
I believe that the innate desire to respond to the Conductor's cues begins in the womb:
Psalm 71:6 – Upon you, I have leaned from before my birth; you are he who took me from my mother's womb. My praise is continually of you. (ESV)
The gift of music is grounded in God's love. This heart-to-heart connection with our Creator explains why worship ministry is as vital as mother's milk. It keeps God's command for us alive:
Psalm 145:4,7 – One generation shall commend your works to another, and shall declare your mighty acts. They shall pour forth the fame of your abundant goodness and shall sing aloud of your righteousness. (ESV)
Having grown up in the 1950s, praising God was as fundamental as inhaling and exhaling. Sunday afternoons were spent with family and friends, still wearing their Sunday best, gathered around our piano, singing hymns. Father would pick his cherished Jew's harp or set of spoons from a basket brimming with period instruments, then pass it around, so that no one was left empty-handed. Soon, everything that had breath praised the Lord. Hands clapped, toes tapped, voices harmonized, and occasionally, our eyes would pop as the delicate china on our sideboard would dance ever so slightly. No Sunday was complete without Mother leading her personal favourite, "His eye is on the sparrow" by Civilla Martin. Even today, my heart still bursts for joy when I hear it sung.
- Why should I feel discouraged?
Why should the shadows come?
Why should my heart feel lonely,
And long for heaven and home,
When Jesus is my portion?
My constant friend is He:
His eye is on the sparrow,
And I know He watches me.
It was during those Spirit-filled afternoons when I came to realize that music is the common thread between God's truth and His love for His children. For music knows no boundaries, speaks all languages, inspires every age, and has the power to heal any heart condition. Like the tiny sparrow, let us sing God's praises. Join me in my prayer:
Prayer: Dear heavenly Father, let me praise You like a songbird and dance across Your skies. Let me show all my thanks and all my wonder that Your Son came here to die. My every breath is Yours to give; yet, when I fail You, You forgive. My love is all I have to give. I'm here to worship You. Thank You for the gift of music. Hallelujah! Amen.
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Thanks for the good word, Lois.
Thanks, Lois. Music is indeed an important part of worship.
AMEN, Lois. Thank you for your words.
(Texas)
I loved your story and illustration, Lois. I’ve heard it said that music can be prayer without words.
Yes, indeed thank You God for the gift of music! My daily devotion time every morning includes some of my favourites. Have a blessed week and stay safe.
Thank you for the beautiful devotional this morning! His Eye is on the Sparrow was also a favourite song my mother enjoyed singing. I, too, remember gathering around the piano and singing praises as a family. They were precious times together.
Sounds like a beautiful time, Lois! Your post was timely for me as we start to plan the reopening of our church in NS. We may not be able to sing because of covid19 which is challenging. Hopefully, we can find a safe alternative as music is such an important part of our services. God bless!
Hello Lois
Thank you for this devotional, I too like the song, His Eye is on the Sparrow.
Praising God sure puts a person in a positive mood and a greater appreciation for the situation because we are not alone in all that we are going through.
Have a blessed day.
God bless.
Greetings Lois,
Beautiful devotional! Yes, music is a wonderful and very special way to praise our Lord and bring feelings of elation and joy as we exalt Him.
Thank you for sharing the memories of those music times in your family.
Blessings for the writings you do.
(B.C.)
Thank you for your good words this morning Lois,
It reminded me of the time when my wife and I started to go together, also in the 50’s. they had an old pump organ, which I would play (Badly), my father-in-law to be played the violin and the family, most good singers would sing all the old hymns of the church. It was always a good time, Thank you for writing.
Blessings.
Good morning Lois,
What a wonderful devotional and oh so true. I remember those Sundays when the world was quiet, and we spend time in Church and then with our family and friends. Good memories stirred up by your devotional. It is so true how certain hymns give us vivid memories of special people in your life and remind you of our connection with God and that he is wanting to be connected to each and every one of us. Thank you for filling me with joy. May music continue to fill up your heart.
Lovely, Lois! Thank you. I am grateful for your uncommon story, SO very unlike my own growing up. What a joy it is to sing together, the old songs.
In the days when we had evening services, afterward we went to a nearby house, gathered around a piano and sang.
I was also in a contemporary worship group that travelled. We used many instruments, drama and dance ad at each service read psalm 150.
You brought back some great memories.
Thank you.
Thank you, Lois, for this day’s devotional. I truly appreciated also, the poetic metaphor in your closing prayer about a songbird.
This thought about music caused me to think about the story in 1 Samuel 16 when David played the harp to chase away the evil spirit that tormented King Saul. Obviously, music can have a powerful effect on us! As believers, we can employ godly music to even heal our soul, when necessary!
Again, thank you for this powerful reminder to be careful about the kinds of music we listen to, as God’s own children.
How lovely to be transported back in time to the “good old days”. It was the 60s, and newly married, I started teaching and living in an area where there were many Jews.
I always began the day by teaching a simple chorus; we said the Lord’s Prayer, it was part of the routine in classrooms then, and I loved singing.
One morning when I walked towards school, one of my pupils cycled past singing “His Eye is on the Sparrow” and I thought it amusing as I knew he was Jewish. Now I realize that he worshipped the same God. God was probably amused too!
Appreciate your writing so much,
(BC)
You have gone farther back than just into our earthly history.
How I pray that the people of the world will realize that their history is of association with God that began before they were born. May the youngest babies also feel and know that they are yours, loved by you, kept in your grace, GRACE meaning God’s giving of love undeservedly but freely, because of His goodness.
Dear Lord, please pattern ways of human love from your love that began before the child is born. May your gracious, undeserved love be spread abroad by God’s spirit working with human beings from and to persons of all ages.
Thanks for such a devotional.
Dear Lois, thank you for sharing “my story” so beautifully written. I am 95 and still singing and count on hearing music every day.
I started singing when I was 9 and my Pastor Daddy would have me sing something that would go with his message. Then I married a man of music and I could write a book about our years. Thank you for stirring up memories. God bless you real good.
(California)