Sunday Morning Worship

Sunday Morning Worship
Gospel Music Week: Entry Two (Sunday 4/19 10-11:30am)

Sunday Morning Worship should be a highlight of your week, no matter where you are. When you're in Nashville and Gospel Music Week, it gets a little easier!

Matt Redman, together with his band and angelic background vocalist Christy Nockels (formerly of Watermark, and with her own solo debut in the works for June 2nd), did a heart-stirring job leading us in worship. Among the songs we were led in were "Everlasting God", "Never Let Go" and a brand-new song, "Through It All", which I suspect will appear on either the next Passion album, the next Redman CD or both.

The song, which praises the "God of unbroken promises", was a perfect set-up for speaker Louie Giglio, who spoke from Psalm 40. He incorporated some of the content from Ashley's story (from his powerful DVD "Fruitcake & Ice Cream"- if you haven't seen it, you definitely owe it to yourself to), which while repeat content for some of us, never ever gets old. He reminded us from Psalm 40 that God is steadfastly committed to two things: (1) our healing (spiritually and sometimes physically) and (2) His own glory. He rightly accused us all of sometimes embracing a "me-gospel" by stopping at verses 1 & 2- I hurt, I cried, God heard and God rescued. All of that is true, but the story doesn't end there! Verse 3 continues that the new song we as believers proclaim post-rescue will cause many (not all and not none) to trust and to believe. That's when God's glory is extended, and He is recognized afresh as worthy and faithful. Louie said it better, but that's why he's preaching and I'm writing a blog! As Redman's lyrics stated, "Through it all, You are faithful. Through it all, You are strong. When we walk through the shadows, You shine on." Praise God for His graciousness to us all, and that in our darkest times, we become trophies of His illuminating goodness. -Mike