Category: Song

The Imagery of Snow

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song2 Comments

I have to be honest and confess here and now that I don’t like snow. For me, it’s too cold, too slippery, too dangerous to walk on for my unsteady legs. When we moved to Maine, I often told people that Harry had moved us to hell and it was cold. We had almost two hundred inches of snow the first winter that we were there, with snow reaching our second story windows, and that was not an exaggeration at all. We lived there for four years (I called it surviving) and God taught me a lot of lessons there, mostly about not being so self-centered and thoughtless. That being said, I never really appreciated the snow there…it quickly became brown (or yellow) and a real mess to walk on or drive in during the eight months it was present. However, now that I am aged and no longer living in the frozen north, I can reflect on the imagery of snow and appreciate what the Scriptures say about it.

Scarlet is a deep and vivid red color. If it spills on anything, it will definitely be noticeable. So, when I think about how my sin is scarlet, covering my entire life, that is a brutal picture of reality. There is not one part of my former life that my sin did not affect. But thanks be to God who provided His Son to cleanse me completely from my sins! I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Savior on February 28, 1973, and my life was completely changed. Not only did I leave my sins behind, but I was no longer stained by it. God looked down and saw whiteness, not red. The red was in the blood that His Son shed. The white is as pure as snow.

I still don’t like snow—the cold, the danger it presents. But I do like to see it now, especially when it is freshly fallen and a pristine white. No small animal tracks, no dirt, just white as far as the eye can see. That is an advantage of living rurally…there is no traffic and until we move our car to go out, there are no tire tracks, ruts or mud. Everything is white…an indescribable color that glistens in the sun and reflects the soft light of the moon. That is how God means for us to be, glowing in the reflection of His Son, totally clean from all of our impurities, the sin that separated us from Him.

One of my favorite old hymns when I was a new Christian was “There’s Power in the Blood.” At the time, I didn’t really understand all of the words but I liked the music and I enjoyed raising my voice in song with the others who clapped and sang along as the church band played. These days, I still enjoy this hymn; however, I don’t see it as a song to raise the enthusiasm of the crowd but as a song that acknowledges the sacrifice of our Savior and the demonstration of the powerful love of God. Do I sometimes mess up and sin? Yes, unfortunately. I am still a sinner saved by grace. But the good news is that each time I choose the wrong way, God’s Spirit corrects me, I confess and He washes me clean. I praise the Father who provides such wonderful grace and mercy that I can share my image of snow with you and pray that the power that is in the blood will also cleanse you from sin as you accept Jesus as your Lord and Savior. The imagery of snow will long be with me, not the mountains of snow in Maine, but the acres of snow that I sometimes glimpse in my front yard. Pure, untouched and shining for God…just like I want to be!

There’s Power in the Blood

Our Thinking

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song2 Comments

Over many years I have come to realize that I control what I think about. True, sometimes my mind wanders and seems to take me places that I don’t want to go, but it is up to me to rein it in and think about what I should be thinking. And what is that? God has the answer in His Word.

Heaven is a reality, not a pipe dream. Heaven may not be as I picture it or even as movies and books portray it, but it is real, just as Jesus was a real man who walked the earth and died for my sins. Christ is already in Heaven and the Bible tells me He is preparing a place for me there. The best thing that I can do while I wait is to think about the things of Heaven. How do I do that? I keep my focus on God’s Word, on His truths that He has spoken and is speaking into my heart. It’s easy to be distracted by all that is going on in the world around me, but I have found if I just take a deep breath and say to myself, “But God…” then I focus on how great God is in the circumstances and know that He will work all things out in the end.

Praising God with song is a great way for me to stay focused on Him, particularly if the song is based on Scripture and has helped me to memorize verses. Many years ago, one of the churches we went to had a pastor who was also a songwriter and guitarist and he set many favorite verses to music and played them during our worship time for us to join in with him. I remember many of those songs and have found others since then. A group called “Integrity Music” distributed a lot of cassettes with such scriptural songs and we had them playing in our car and home frequently. These days, the cassette has ceased to function, but I have discovered the music on You Tube and encourage you to listen and enter into His presence. Step away from the world and into the throne room of God. There we find our peace and our stability in a world that is rocking around us.

You Alone-Integritry Music

The Lord Reigns-Bob Moen-Integrity Music

Some May Trust In Chariots-Hosanna! Music

A Day for Praise

On By vickleaIn praise, SongLeave a comment

My husband and I have been traveling for most of the last month. Since our grandchildren are distant, we visited them for several weeks. We did come home for a few days to rest and repack, but then I set out again to visit my sister while my husband went to see his brother. All of the travels are over now, and I am so grateful for the safety that we enjoyed and also for being able to go to our church again. Our Sunday school teacher graciously sent us the video lessons that we were missing via email so we were able to continue the class study of Revelation. But nothing compares to being with our church family! So, today is a day for praise for me. Praise wells up in my heart each day as I ponder all of God’s goodness and blessings. May you be blessed with these songs that I am sharing and if you have other favorites, please share them with me.

What a Beautiful Name It Is-Hillsong

I Raise a Hallelujah-Hillsong Woship, Lauren Daigle,Casting Crowns

Holy Forever-Chris Tomlin

A Thousand Hallelujahs-Brooke Ligertwood

10,000 Reasons-Matt Redman

Singing a Song

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song2 Comments

One day all of mankind will acknowledge Jesus as Lord and Savior. Until that marvelous day comes, it is fitting that those of us who believe in His sovereignty now should sing songs of praise to Him.

I don’t praise God because all if right in my world but because all is right as I lean on Him. No matter what I go through, and the Bible tells us that the righteous are not free from troubles. God is right there taking me through them. The fact that He is always with me makes me sing!

In the assembly of believers, we can freely express our adoration for the Lord, the King of all the earth and of our hearts. In exalting His name together, we form a unity of sound and heart that reaches to Heaven. We praise not just to bless God but to also bless each other and ourselves with the understanding that what is happening now is not all that there is.

God receives glory and we work as His loving servants to help carry out His will here on earth. What is more praiseworthy than a God who never changes and who is always working for us and through us?

Let Us Exalt His Name Together

Attributes of God

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song1 Comment

In my devotionals recently, I read a verse that seems to me to summarize the attributes of God. It reminds me of who He is, what He does and the model that He wants us to try to follow.

God is a steadfast and unmoving rock. Everything He does is absolutely perfect from beginning to end. He always demonstrates justice and fairness and He is always faithful. He never does anything wrong, and He is always blameless. We would do well to aspire to the characteristics of God and strive to emulate Him daily!

He Is A Rock-Marty and Amy

Pray and Give Thanks

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song, Video6 Comments

I think that this verse has been a theme in my life for the last three or four months. Undergoing one medical test after another, I must say that anxiety fluttered within me and tried to take hold. I kept repeating verses to myself about casting my burdens on the Lord and that He was with me no matter what I faced.

My last medical test was on Monday, an MRA, which I was told means Magnetic Resonance Angiograpy. In other words, they were taking pictures of the blood vessels inside my brain to see if anything was amiss there. (This followed an episode with blurred vision and severe vertigo.) Anyway, I would be lying if I did not confess my anxiety that hit strongly as my husband drove me to the hospital for the test. He prayed for me, I went in and tried to read as I waited to be called. The test itself wasn’t so bad, just a helmet like thing fit over my head and face and into the tight quarters of the MRI machine I went. I prayed while I was in there, and I gave thanks for all of the good reports so far. None of the multitude of tests had shown anything significant, so I was very grateful that all kinds of medical issues had been ruled out.

I got the results sent to me via message from the hospital later that evening. Of course, I couldn’t understand the medical terms but I did notice that the MRA picked up on the fact that part of my brain doesn’t get blood anymore. That would be where I had my stroke, of course. So, I waited for my neurologist to call to interpret the results. He called after I was in bed (he is one of the hardest working, most dedicated doctors I know, working long after office hours) and left the message with my husband.

“The results are normal!” That was the doctor’s pronouncement.

My husband let me know once he got off the phone and I was exultant that God came through for me again. As I prayed, I asked God why so many tests and then normal results. Now, don’t get me wrong. I didn’t want a bad report. I was just surprised that I had so many symptoms and the test results were all fine. God spoke to my heart and told me that He used the tests to draw me closer to Him and the healing came from Him.

Arising this morning to a new day without any new tests or specialists to see, I immediately turned to praise. As I took my shower, I sang “1000 Hallelujas” quietly to myself. As I read my devotionals, I played Chris Tomlin’s “Holy Forever” over and over again, worshipping the Lord for His power, grace, mercy and love for me.

I accept God’s sovereignty in my life and His magnificent way of getting my full attention. I am thankful that He loves me enough to take the time to work on me.

Holy Forever-Chris Tomlin

Exaltation

On By vickleaIn praise, Scripture, Song, Video1 Comment

What does it mean to exalt the Lord? According to the online dictionary, it means to “elevate with praise, to glorify.” So, why do we exalt the Lord when He is already in the Heavens, the real Master of the Universe? I think we exalt Him because we need to hear ourselves acknowledge His power, His sovereignty and His worthiness to be praised. So much of the time, all day long, we spend giving ourselves and those around us little pep talks, telling them and ourselves what a good job we are doing or how much we appreciate the effort that they are making. Yet, when it comes to God, I think sometimes we take Him for granted, choosing to esteem ourselves rather than our Creator. So, today, I am taking time to exalt the Name of the Lord for WHO HE IS, not for all that He has done for me, although that list is innumerable. I just want to focus on His Lordship, His Kingship, on His character that is unchanging.

We cannot tell of the Lord’s greatness without acknowledging Him as the One who is the Ruler of our hearts. God is God…let’s praise Him and let Him know that although the world may turn against Him, we know that He is and always will be Lord of all.

1000 Names-Phil Wickham

A Thousand Hallelujas-Brooke Ligertwood

Great Is the Lord-Michael W. Smith

With Us

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song2 Comments

When Jesus ascended to Heaven, He reminded the disciples that He would always be with them. He continues to remind us of that today, but we have to take the time to be with Him.

Jesus only spoke of two commandments and both were about love. Love God and love your neighbor. He is with us as we fulfill those commandments and as we spend time with Him seeking the ways we should be showing love to God and to others.

I think that my alone time with God, reading His Word, praying and singing, is the most important part of my day. It sets the tone for the day and allows me to speak freely to God as I go through whatever challenges the day may present. Jesus, God’s own Son, spent time praying to His Father. Following His example, we should feel compelled to spend time with the Lord, not just telling Him our problems, but listening for His solutions and encouragement. Ok;.;.;.;

In the Garden-Alan Jackson

Blessings

On By vickleaIn Scripture, Song5 Comments

When I was small, my grandmother used to complain a lot. I mean, a lot! She was the one that if it was a sunny day, she would look for clouds. Nevertheless, she used to tell me a lot that I should count my blessings. Now, I seldom attended church when I was young. My mom took us on special days like Easter, but otherwise, Sunday was just another day of the week for me until I met my new neighbor Sharon and she started inviting me to go to church with them. I enjoyed the Sunday school classes and the way the church service followed the same pattern week after week. That is the first time I heard about God and I was in my teens. But I still didn’t know what it means to count my blessings as my grandmother had told me to do.

When I went to college, I was busy, overwhelmed really with new things. I was away from home for the first time and got involved in my studies and my campus job. I dated some, but not much because I was really shy. I didn’t attend church, but I was aware that God was around somewhere because my roommate attended church regularly and seemed to like going. Again, I don’t recall counting blessings. I was more likely to count the days until I had an exam or a break at home.

It was after I finished college and started my first job that I began to see how alone I was and was feeling discouraged, even though I had a new fiancé and a new job and my own place to live. When my apartment neighbor introduced me to Jesus, I began to see that He was what I needed all along. Finally, finally, I began to count my blessings! The blessing of being loved by a good man, the blessing of finding a good church and making new friends, the blessing of having a neighbor who befriended me. I was beginning to understand what my grandmother was telling me. Life is hard and throws some real curve balls sometimes, but God is always good and you can always look for the blessings and find them.

Now that I am much older, I see blessings everywhere. I see them in the garden outside my window, in the beautiful sunrise and sunset, in the faces of my children and grandchildren, in my husband’s patience with me. The list goes on and on. There isn’t enough time to enumerate all of my blessings, but God continues to bless me, every day in more ways than I can imagine.

I don’t know why my grandmother complained so much, but I do know that somewhere inside her, she recognized that all the good in her life came from God. She told me to count my blessings and that advice has remained steadfast in my heart for over six decades now. I think of nanny and I smile, knowing that she loved me enough to tell me a truth about life. When you are busy counting your blessings, you don’t have time to complain!

Count Your Blessings