And sing, sing your hearts out to God! Colossians 3:17b The Message
The blessings of the past week were many. My family and I went on our annual summer vacation to Soulfest, a 4-day Christian Music Festival, on Gunstock Mountain in New Hampshire.
Although it was sizzling hot with no shade in sight we had a great time (I did grumble a bit about the heat and the uphill walking). Four days, five stages of Christian music playing 12 hours a day in the company of 10,000 brothers and sisters n Christ, how can that be bad?
Every year I look forward to going, although I always grumble about the heat AND the walking (remind me to get in shape this year PLEASE!). What I look forward to is an encounter with God. In past years I have been struck face down with awe in His Presence. I have been educated and convicted in areas of social justice. HE has spoken to my heart through songs, prayer and quiet time before HIM.
So this year I went with the same expectation as in past years. By the third day I was beginning to feel frustrated. I had heard countless bands play, great bands with music that I sang along to and had fun but still no encounter with God.
Like the verse above I wanted to sing my heart out to God but all I was doing was singing out loud about God. On the fourth day I was beginning to think I would come home filled with a lot of good music and tired from a week of camping.
Then at 4 o'clock on Saturday I stood in the dirt before the big stage with the sun beating down on me and began to worship with Jason Upton. In the midst of the same crowds and activity that I had been in for the past few days I was transported to the Presence of God and all else faded away.
I sang my heart out TO God and HE whispered into my heart and soul HIS Words of love and mercy. There is nothing as satisfying then being in the Presence of God and hearing HIS Voice speak to your heart. This is where we become filled with HIS Beauty. The more HE whispered the more I sang.
I shouldn't have needed Jason Upton to lead me to God in worship but I did. For some reason I could not break free from the distractions in me and around me until Jason's unrestrained worship ushered me there.
I thank God for our ministers of worship that lead us into this special place of God's Presence.
I need them.
You need them.
Although we all need to cultivate the discipline of worship for ourselves, by ourselves, there will be times that we need some help to move from just singing to singing our hearts out to God.
Sing my beauty-full friends, sing your hearts out to God,
ruthann
Although it was sizzling hot with no shade in sight we had a great time (I did grumble a bit about the heat and the uphill walking). Four days, five stages of Christian music playing 12 hours a day in the company of 10,000 brothers and sisters n Christ, how can that be bad?
Every year I look forward to going, although I always grumble about the heat AND the walking (remind me to get in shape this year PLEASE!). What I look forward to is an encounter with God. In past years I have been struck face down with awe in His Presence. I have been educated and convicted in areas of social justice. HE has spoken to my heart through songs, prayer and quiet time before HIM.
So this year I went with the same expectation as in past years. By the third day I was beginning to feel frustrated. I had heard countless bands play, great bands with music that I sang along to and had fun but still no encounter with God.
Like the verse above I wanted to sing my heart out to God but all I was doing was singing out loud about God. On the fourth day I was beginning to think I would come home filled with a lot of good music and tired from a week of camping.
Then at 4 o'clock on Saturday I stood in the dirt before the big stage with the sun beating down on me and began to worship with Jason Upton. In the midst of the same crowds and activity that I had been in for the past few days I was transported to the Presence of God and all else faded away.
I sang my heart out TO God and HE whispered into my heart and soul HIS Words of love and mercy. There is nothing as satisfying then being in the Presence of God and hearing HIS Voice speak to your heart. This is where we become filled with HIS Beauty. The more HE whispered the more I sang.
I shouldn't have needed Jason Upton to lead me to God in worship but I did. For some reason I could not break free from the distractions in me and around me until Jason's unrestrained worship ushered me there.
I thank God for our ministers of worship that lead us into this special place of God's Presence.
I need them.
You need them.
Although we all need to cultivate the discipline of worship for ourselves, by ourselves, there will be times that we need some help to move from just singing to singing our hearts out to God.
Sing my beauty-full friends, sing your hearts out to God,
ruthann
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