Sing!

Continuing in the thoughts of my last post, when Jehoshaphat was faced with a difficult situation of almost certain anihilation, he turned his eyes to God and trusted the Lord to fight for him.  After the Lord sent a message through His prophet with instructions for Judah in the battle, their immediate response was to bow, worship, and sing praise to God.  God hadn't yet done anything, but Judah praised Him for what they knew He was going to do -- fight for them.

These thoughts have been brewing for a little while, since the outbreak of COVID-19 that has turned our whole world upside down.  At first, our church wasn't able to meet at the public school we were renting because the schools were closed down.  So, we had church in our dining room for two weeks.  It was all very last minute, and unplanned.  My mind was swirling and things seemed uncertain.  I turned on my iTunes and started a playlist on random.  Each song, though having little to do with disease or sickness, ministered to my heart in one way or another.  God was encouraging me to sing amid the crisis, and to praise Him for what I did not yet know He would do.

I started scribbling a list of phrases from these songs on taht Sunday morning that put my mind back on God and ushered peace into my heart.

• Not I, but Christ, be honored, loved, exalted.  
• The fever raged, disease had gripped it's victim.  Then Jesus came, and cast out every fear!
• 'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus...
• Longing, yes I'm longing for heaven
• I am saved by the blood of the crucified one
• God is in every tomorrow
• Through the upper window, you'll see me standing by
• How can I fear with Jesus?
• Caught up to be with Christ forevermore
• Whom shall I send to a world that's dying?  Here am I Lord, send me.
• And shall I turn back, into the world?  No, no not I! 

Then came the order to put New York "on pause" (shelter-in-place).  It was for a week.  Then three weeks, and today has just been extended through April 29th.  I am so ready to go back to church and to give hugs and to be with people again.  (There are a lot of people in my house though...)  But it's not time yet.  God isn't done working.

When I was a girl my mom always had good music playing, or a podcast or Christian radio broadcast on the kitchen radio.  I haven't been as good at making music a regular part of my home as she did.  My kids do know many hymns because we learn a new one each month in school.  They also like to listen to Patch the Pirate at night.  I catch my kiddos walking around the house singing character building songs, and I love it.

So in these uncertain days, I find myself turning on the music more and turning Facebook off.  I need to focus my thoughts and heart on my God, and Who He is, and what He has done in the past.  Because He never changes, and He is still at work today.

So when your heart is gripped with fear and your mind starts swirling with all of the "what if's", turn on some music and start letting the Lord minister to your heart!