I almost did not bother to get up for Sunday School and worship this morning. Was up way too late last night, forgetting until I did go to bed that the time was changing (losing an hour of sleep). And much on my mind and heart that was rather painful, just wanted to stay wrapped around my teddy bear and huddle under my covers and stay put for a few days until the raw edge comes off the hurting, but when the alarm went off I pulled myself up and got ready.
One thing I always do when getting ready for Sunday mornings is listen to music. I try for something worshipful in nature to help ready my heart and mind, clearing it of the clutter and focusing on the Lord. I have a nice selection of CDs that help with this. The other day I stumbled over the 2003 WOW Worship CDs I thought were long gone so I burned them to my PC. This morning I had disc 1 playing while putting on my makeup and 2 songs I just love played. One is ‘Breathe’, a really beautiful song of praise. The other is ‘My All In All’, a song my ex and I taught to the kids club to do for special music one morning at church. It was used in VBS that year too. I LOVE that song, another very praise filled song. I had not heard this song in 5 or 6 years now, and I love it so much I kept it repeating for a bit. Another song of late that I dearly love is Chris Tomlin’s “How Great Is Our God”. But the one I kept playing was just totally filling my heart, ‘My All In All’.
When I drove to church, a short 2 minute drive (if that long), ‘Breathe’ was on the radio, continuing my worshipful state of mind. Sunday School was amazing, I took great notes and came away with some excellent things learned and we were in some great passages (1 Thessalonians 5, and Isaiah 53). Thanks Dave!!! The prelude music today? “How Great Is Our God”!!! 2 young men in our church, high school boys that I had no idea could sing, knocked out this great contemporary praise song (note that I’m ecstatic that the music is starting to really be great at church, a former issue for me!). There were dozens of ‘amens’ when they concluded, my own included. Now I really was just totally focused on the Lord and worship. The opening hymn was “How Great Thou Art” and it was actually played and sung up tempo! I swear I was ready to start dancing with the joy I was feeling in my heart! (it IS one of my all time favorite hymns!)
The sermon was great!!! I have a lot of notes and really felt so very fed at the end. And then, the closing song today? “My All In All”. PRAISE THE LORD!! Now, I’ve been there 3 months and it has not been sung, but today, the day I hear it for the first time in many years, not only is it on the music I listened to for preparing my heart and mind, but it is the final song of the morning at church!!! Coincidence? I don’t think so!! It was like God rewarded my faithfulness in pulling my sorry self out of bed to go when what I really longed to do was roll over and go back to sleep!!
To continue on the path today I’m starting a book by John Piper, ‘The Passion of Jesus Christ’. It looks fantastic and is divided into 50 chapters, 50 Reasons Why Christ Suffered And Died. Each is about 1-2 pages in length, perfect daily devotional material, and a very good way to lead up to Resurrection Sunday. I cannot wait to get started! Then back for evening service this tonight, what a spectacular day!!!
Marti Gardner 