Podcasts / Devotionals, Songwriting, Worship Leading

Prayer Songs

March 14, 2016

#3-14-16 #WorshipDevotional #PrayerSongs “Great is your faithfulness.” Lam 3.23 Have you ever had a song that sings to you in tough times? Maybe it was a familiar chorus line you sang as a child or maybe it was something you recently heard. When God gives us a song to sing, it comforts the soul. He uses music as a way for us to sing back to Him in praise. Especially in the tough times, we see how great His faithfulness really is.

Such is the story of a young wife and mother of one as they struggle to make ends meet.“You can give without loving, but you cannot love without giving.” – Amy Carmichael A lady and her husband were facing depressing times. The young mother was a stay at home mom, while her husband was a full-time college student. They lived in a trailer park, had one car and survived on $400 a month with no home church nor friends nearby. Everyday became a struggle to pay bills, yet they trusted God in his providence.

As time grew, the woman’s faith was fading. She felt so empty inside, wondering what God was doing as she reflected over their circumstances. Hosea 2:14 came to her memory as the Lord said: “I will lead her into the desert and speak tenderly to her.” Suddenly, the Lord brought the significance of this verse.

She knew in her heart that God had something to say or sing to her.Indeed, God had a response for this woman and her family. In her quiet time, Laurie wanted to offer the Lord something, but she felt sad because she was so distraught. She looked towards heaven and asked God if He would like to hear her sing.

She inquired if He would give her a melody just to recite back to Him. In this moment is where Laurie Klien received the song to write “I Love You Lord.” Immediately, she penned these lyrics:I love You, Lord, and I lift my voice, To worship You, Oh my Soul rejoice! Take Joy, My King In what You hear May it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear. By Laurie Klein © 1978, 1980 House of Mercy Music CCLI # 173653Soon after playing the chorus for her husband and a local pastor, the song ended up at Jack Hayford’s church.

What turned around Laurie’s life was not just the song, but she found a deepening in her walk with the Lord. She learned to hear God’s voice in the wilderness as He spoke/sang words of comfort to her.

Laurie was reminded that even in her deepest despairs in everyday life, worship is always on-going.[ctt template=”10″ link=”p4Aib” via=”no” ]God desires to hear his children sing a sweet sound in His ear.[/ctt]God is our comfort in all of life’s circumstances. He brings songs of deliverance, melodies of joy and songs of thanksgiving.

More than our many words, God is more concerned about the songs of our hearts. “God seeks from us not nice words, but an intimate relationship, even and especially when that relationship is being refined in the fire of adversity.” – Buddy OwensLamentations chapter 3 declares one of the most memorable Biblical phrases: 22 Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. 23 They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

These verses wonderfully stand on their own. However, when read in the chapter’s context, they take a new meaning with very deep roots. In 586 BC, Jerusalem was conquered by Babylon and the nation was in torment as they mourned its destruction. The author laments as he shares the same theological vision of Jeremiah and experience of Judah’s devastation.Lamentations contains bold complaints against God as well as deep cries for mercy.

The writer never questions the righteousness of God, but pours out his anguish freely. His unyielding expression of grief gives us the example for believers to seek greater boldness in our prayers. Like David, he tells-it-like-is before God. Though these are faithful and godly men, they are still men – broken, feeble and in need of God’s mercy.[ctt template=”10″ link=”5U22z” via=”no” ]When God hears your songs, what is your heart really saying to Him?[/ctt]When we fall into deep despair or tragedy, we are only human to feel its affects.

Like the story of Laurie Klein, God gives us prayers to sing.The truth is, God wants all of us: our hurts, tears, pain, annoyances, bitterness and grief, including our arguments and thoughts against Him. As Paul instructs us in 2Cor. 10.5 “We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.” God hears every cry and confession. He desires to take every infirmity and dispute captive. No adversity can ever separate us from God. No flame will ever scorch us as we are held in His hand.

By the Lord’s great love, we are not consumed for his compassions never fail. We truly can resound with the author of Lamentations that His mercy is new every morning; as well as the hymnist sings: “Great is Thy faithfulness.”

Reflection: In worship, when was the last time that you were utterly honest with God? When He finds you again, will you produce well rehearsed words, or is there an intimacy so deep, that the Spirit Himself intercedes for you with groans that words cannot express? How great is His faithfulness? How great can our praises be towards His faithfulness?

@BranonDempsey @worshiptt

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