Sing to the Lord, praise His name; proclaim His salvation day after day.
— Psalm 96:1–2 NIV
1993
The Bible contains promises for every problem and a word of assurance for every need. When faced with anger or anxiety, we can always find a word from God to nudge us onward and upward — if only we'll open His Book. That's what Darlene Zschech did one dark day in 1993.
Darlene was born in 1965 in Brisbane, Australia, and she grew up singing. When she was about fifteen, her father, who had recently given his life to Christ, enrolled her in a Christian scouting program; and through that program she received Jesus Christ as her Savior.
Years later, one day in 1993, Darlene faced a daunting and discouraging personal problem. In her heaviness, she entered the study of her home and sat at the old and out-of-tune piano her parents had given her when she was five. Opening her Bible, she started reading Psalm 96.
As Darlene meditated on that psalm, her fingers pressed the keys of the piano, and the music and words began to flow. In about twenty minutes the song was done. For several days she sang it to herself as the truths of the song ministered to her own heart. She had not previously called herself a songwriter, so Darlene was reluctant to share it with anyone. But mustering her courage, she finally asked the music pastor at her church to listen to it. She was so nervous she kept stopping and apologizing. She even asked him to stand over by the wall and turn away from her while she sang it.
He assured her the song was wonderful, and shortly afterward they sang "Shout to the Lord" during the offering at church. The congregation took to it quickly, standing and joining in the song, though the words hadn't been prepared for bulletin or screen. Darlene's pastor, Brian Houston, predicted it would be sung around the world.
And so it has.
Verse of the Week
Sing to the Lord a new song;
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
Sing to the Lord, praise His name;
proclaim His salvation day after day.
— Psalm 96:1–2 NIV
Reflect
Darlene Zschech wrote "Shout to the Lord" while feeling discouraged and sad. How does singing it make you feel?
The psalms inspired Zschech's lyrics, especially Psalm 96. What does Psalm 100:1 say?
Consider this line: "All of my days / I want to praise." Desire ("want") often determines whether or not we praise God. What happens when you don't really want to, but you do it anyway?
What does Philippians 2:9-11 say about the sound of the name of Jesus?
Give ear to my words, O Lord,
Consider my meditation.
Give heed to the voice of my cry,
My King and my God,
For to You I will pray.
My voice You shall hear in the morning,
O Lord; In the morning I will direct it to You,
And I will look up.
Amen.
—Psalm 5:1–3 NKJV
Excerpted with permission from Then Sings My Soul Prayer Journal by Robert Morgan, copyright Robert J. Morgan.
Your Turn
Read Psalm 96. What does it mean to you? Can you sing a line or two in worship to the Lord? Come share your thoughts with us on our blog. We want to hear from you! ~ Devotionals Daily
Share this devotion with someone who needs it today.
Deepen your faith through this unique book combining worship music history, devotions, and interactive journaling pages
Save 30% off
Then Sings My Soul: 52 Hymns that Inspire Joyous Prayer by Robert Morgan
A year of journaling inspiration through the most beloved hymns, based the bestselling Then Sings My Soul series.
Pastor Rob Morgan's inimitable style will help people reacquaint themselves with the hymns of the faithful. His goal is to keep these traditional hymns vital and meaningful to all generations. Hymns speak to our soul and add depth and meaning as we worship God through song.
This year-long devotional journal shares the emotion behind the hymns of faith that have changed many lives throughout history — not only the people whose faith led them to write these wonderful hymns but also the people whose faith has been transformed by reading, hearing, and singing the songs. Designed to be personally reflective and inspire prayer, each week-long experience allows readers to experience the hymn through:
Draw near to God and deepen your prayer life as you make your way through these 52 hymns that center around the theme of joyous prayer in the Then Sings My Soul Prayer Journal.
*Sale prices valid through 7/30/2020, excluding eBooks. eBooks purchases are fulfilled by our partner, Glose. Free U.S. shipping on orders $30 or more, excluding Alaska and Hawaii
Devotionals Daily ~ our mission is to help you grow and share your faith.
Did you receive this message from a friend? Sign up to start receiving Devotionals Daily.
Copyright © 2020 HarperCollins Christian Publishing, All Rights Reserved.
501 Nelson Place, Nashville, TN 37214 USA Terms and Conditions | Privacy Policy *Manage Your eMail preferences or unsubscribe |
|
*the blog owner has deleted the hyperlink intentionally
Affiliate marketer links: Affiliate marketer Rick Livermore with Webmaster220 Bible Study Blog will earn a commission on the Bible Study Material you buy from faith gateway store and alibris.
Brought to you by Rick Livermore and Webmaster220 Bible Study Blog
If you would like to offset my expenses of producing all this free content, but you want to pass on buying materials from faith gateway store and alibris, feel free to give a little something-------Give through PayPal-----Rick Livermore-Webmaster220
I live in San Juan Capistrano California now
|
No comments:
Post a Comment