Thursdays – Dawn’s Devotions for Writers“The Lord reigns forever.” (Psalm 9:7 NIV)
Does music affect you? Fill you with joy? Calm your nerves? Move you to tears?
I believe the Holy Spirit uses music as a conduit to speak to us and through us. As a vocalist on a contemporary worship team, I trust the Holy Spirit to use our music in bringing people closer to God’s presence.
I grew up in the Lutheran church, and still attend one. A joke within the denomination is that we’re the “chosen frozen.” Not only because many Lutherans have a Scandinavian heritage and live in the Midwest (where I grew up—freezing winters), but because worship isn’t quite as lively as some. Our church has four bands with accomplished musicians. We use acoustic guitars, electric guitars, bass guitars, keys, and drums. But even with upbeat music, people don’t usually sing loud or raise their hands. I wish it were different.
But every once in awhile … a song stirs even the frozen chosen. Last Sunday, we closed worship with singing “He Reigns,” an upbeat tune that speaks about the song of the forgiven—the Asian believers, the African tribes, all nations and all God’s children singing, “Glory, Glory, Halleluiah, He reigns.”
The song continues with "the powers of darkness, trembling at what they just heard—’cause they can’t drown out a single word."
People not only belted out the lyrics, I watched more than one person raise their hands—caught up in the power of those words.
He reigns. Now and forever.
Don’t forget that, dear friends. When daily stress begins to wear you down. When there doesn’t seem to be an end to a dark tunnel. When you wonder if you’ll ever experience a breakthrough in your writing. When you become weary of trying so hard to fulfill your calling. Remember that our Lord has been victorious over whatever evil may try to discourage and weigh you down.
Glory, glory, halleluiah! He reigns!
