I’ve discovered that my iPad has dutifully been recording my ‘most played’ songs:

1. Come now is the time to worship
2. Let everything that has breath (gives me really great energy when I’m lacking motivation!
3. Redeemer
4. Choose a Hallelujah
5. Cling to the cross

quite a fair reflection I think (last 3 are by Cathy Burton)

King of kings
Sent to the earth You created
In nappies
Because we couldn’t live without Your death

At this time Lord
Even as we remember our families
Who we’ve not seen enough of
May we remember You all the more

And bow down
And honour and worship You
For sending Your Son
As that baby, God with us to save

I sing it as a worship song, although it clearly isn’t. Is this just me trying to reconcile liking secular music, or does the Lord not really mind as long as we sing to Him?

Hallelujah singing

We are Hallelujah singing

We bring praise to You our Lord

Filled with joy we raise our hands

                          (We boast in You)

As a song it can build over a number of repetitions, and encourages participation by those whose native language is not English.

But dropping over the edge of the Grand Canyon in a helicopter – well you have to say ‘wow’, and remember what an amazing land the Lord created for us to enjoy.

FWIW I simply believe that God created the universe, and is the Sustainer of His creation. I find that position to be totally in keeping with any evidence I’ve come across.

http://odb.org/2011/02/20/who%e2%80%99s-the-audience/

He states that we shouldn’t leave worship thinking ‘what have I got out of it? (did my favourite song come up?) but instead ‘did I tell the Lord what He means to me?’

Lord we try so hard

To sing songs to You

That break open the doors of heaven

So we can see a glimpse of You

But all You want from us

Are simple songs of love

Where we just tell of Your beauty

And whisper our worship to You

That tell You how we feel

Safe when You’re near

That the hope we find

Is so perfect and peaceful

That having You there all the time

Is such utter comfort

For a song like that

Means so much more

and You open the doors of heaven

And we bathe in the glory of You

I often wonder if being a parent makes you only truly realise the sacrifice that the Lord made sending Jesus to earth to die on the cross?

Imagine it from His perspective – you’ve created the universe, and created life on a planet and a species in particular in your own image. Through sheer and utter disobedience they then screw things up…

Instead of sending some form of Death Star to blow us all up (excuse the Star Wars reference), He chooses instead to send his only Son to die (horribly) as a means of enabling humanity to be forgiven.

How many parents would even put their children into danger, let alone willingly send them to death out of love for others. No-one would get anywhere near.

Awesome God!

I was reminded of this reading 1 Corinthians 15 – it’s a part of the Easter story I’ve always been familiar with (I recall writing a short play for a Campaigner camp where two old ladies were discussing the evidence for Jesus rising from the dead…long story!), but Paul’s description in this passage really brings things to life:

[Verse 6 NIV] “After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep”

So not only did Paul experience Christ in person at his conversion, He was also clearly able to speak  to the people who had seen Jesus appearing and test their stories!

I always feel this is one of the strongest pieces of evidence for the resurrection (from a purely ‘academic’ perspective) – you might imagine the apostles concocting something between themselves, but for 500+ people who lived to tell the tale to see the same thing at once demonstrates that this really wasn’t an apparition.

Of course this is then supported by the Holy Spirit living in us today!