Worship Devotional LIV
Originally posted to the Facebook group on 12/26/2020.
Worship Devotional for 12/27/20
~ New Year's Eve ~
What a year this has been! Many are feeling more than ready for 2020 to be over, hopeful that 2021 will bring better things. We've seen the foundations of the world shaken, experienced the raging and turmoil of the nations, and witnessed reactions of fear and panic among people all across the globe. Most of us have felt uncertainty from the recent events of this year. There has been deception on every side, and it was sometimes difficult to discern between fact and opinion, truth and deception, right and wrong. For many people, this year has been full of struggle — whether physically, mentally, spiritually, emotionally, socially, politically, financially, etc.
However, we who believe in the name of Jesus Christ are not shaken or left without hope, only to be overcome by fear and darkness and doubt and deception. We have hope! And it is a hope that cannot be shaken, no matter what. We hold onto the name of the One who alone is God, who alone can save us from sin and death and darkness, and who alone is worthy of our praise, worship, adoration, trust, and awe. All throughout this year we have been singing about the love, faithfulness, sovereignty, salvation, greatness, authority, power, glory, strength, majesty, riches, goodness, light, life, holiness, mercy, and grace of our God toward us in Christ Jesus. We have remembered wonderful and eternal things which He has promised in the Scriptures to give us if we hold fast to Him as we endure these temporary struggles.
So now here we are at the year's end, concluding 2020 with our last set of songs for the year. These are songs of praise and gratitude to God for His faithfulness which He has shown consistently to us even through the hard times. He is our Savior and our refuge, and there is no other. Let us call and exhort each other and our own souls to lift up songs and shouts and cries of praise to the One who has blessed us with His amazing grace, and has carried us through everything. As we look ahead to whatever may come next year — be it better times or worse — let us look forward to the future which has been secured for us in Christ Jesus by the promise of God: eternal life and peace in His presence.
Here are the songs:
1) Shout To The Lord by Darlene Zschech
As we reflect on the wonderful works that God has done for us throughout our lives and who He has proven Himself to be, may we join with all of creation in praising His name with joy and jubilant shouts and song. He is Jesus, our Savior, our comfort and shelter, a tower of refuge and strength. May every breath we breathe be in praise and worship to Him. Nothing compares to His promises, for He is the true and living and faithful God.
2) 10,000 Reasons (Bless The Lord) by Matt Redman
Based on Psalm 103, this song calls us (and helps us to call our own souls) to praise God for His goodness and grace in our lives, and for the hope we have in Him. Whatever may pass and whatever lies ahead, may we keep on singing His praise with joy and gratitude in our hearts to the end.
Psalm 103:
"My soul praise Yahweh, and all that is within me, praise His holy name. My soul, praise the Lord, and do not forget all His benefits.
He forgives all your sin; He heals all your diseases. He redeems your life from the Pit; He crowns you with faithful love and compassion. He satisfies you with goodness; your youth is renewed like the eagle.
The Lord executes acts of righteousness and justice for all the oppressed. He revealed His ways to Moses, His deeds to the people of Israel. The Lord is compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and rich in faithful love. He will not always accuse us or be angry forever. He has not dealt with us as our sins deserve or repaid us according to our offenses.
For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is His faithful love toward those who fear Him. As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. For He knows what we are made of, remembering that we are dust.
As for man, his days are like grass — he blooms like a flower of the field; when the wind passes over it, it vanishes, and its place is no longer known. But from eternity to eternity the Lord's faithful love is toward those who fear Him, and His righteousness toward the grandchildren of those who keep His covenant, who remember to observe His precepts. The Lord has established His throne in heaven, and His kingdom rules over all.
Praise the Lord, all His angels of great strength, who do His word, obedient to His command. Praise the Lord, all His armies, His servants who do His will. Praise the Lord, all His works in all the places where He rules. My soul, praise Yahweh!"
3) For All That You Have Done (As Family We'll Go) by Rend Collective
Set to the scottish folk tune of the classic New Year's song, Auld Lang Syne, this song by Rend Collective is all about praising God for the things He has done as we look back on another year. No matter what we've each had to face this year, God's grace has led and carried us through. He has fought for us and given us victory over the battles we face. Through joy and sorrow, laughter and tears, His goodness still fills our lives and will continue to follow us in the years to come. Even in our failures and sins and shortcomings, He has given us redemption and led us back home to His presence. May we stand in unity as the family of God as we go forward into the unknown, praising Him for all that He has done.
4) The Blessing by Kari Jobe, Cody Carnes, & Elevation Worship
Numbers 6:22-27:
"The Lord spoke to Moses: 'Tell Aaron and his sons how you are to bless the Israelites. Say to them:
May Yahweh bless you and protect you; may Yahweh make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; may Yahweh look with favor on you and give you peace.
In this way they will pronounce My name over the Israelites, and I will bless them.'"
This song draws from the priestly blessing the Lord gave to the Israelites in Numbers 6. The Lord loves to bless His people who are called by His name. The words of this blessing are for all who believe in the name of Jesus, who is the Son of God and our High Priest.
In the face of struggles, failures, weaknesses, regrets, and mistakes, we often feel ashamed and undeserving of God's love. While it is true that we don't deserve the blessings God gives, he has spoken better things for us by the cross and the blood of His Son! Our debt is paid and our sins are atoned for. If you believe in the name of Jesus and in what He has done, then you are saved and have hope, and all the blessings that are to be found in Christ are yours! May this song be a reminder to us that God is for us. He is not out to destroy us, but to deliver us. He is not out to condemn us, but to save us. If you need a reminder of the truth of what God has done for you, let the words of this song wash over your soul. He is for you...
As we go into a new year and face whatever may come next, let us hold fast to God's promises. With all the things people are saying and the messages of the world with which we are constantly bombarded, it is easy to become distracted and discouraged and even downright depressed. But the Lord has spoken blessings over us and promised us peace. He has promised to be with us. He has assured us that He is for us, and not against us. We can face anything that lies ahead with confidence, for we know that we are blessed with protection and guidance by the Lord our God.
5) Amazing Grace
This famous hymn, written by John Newton, is a hymn of gratitude and joy and testimony to the saving power of God. We are saved by His grace alone. It is because He chose to save us and based on His great love for us, and not our own works or merit. The words of this hymn (originally titled, "Faith's Review and Expectation") were first introduced by John Newton in 1773 on New Year's Day to accompany a sermon on 1 Chronicles 17. In this passage, King David reflects in prayer on what God had said and done in the past, what God was saying and doing in the present, and what God had promised to do in the future. Newton related this passage to how God shows us grace all the time — past, present, and future. We sing this as we look back on this year and ahead to the next year, because God has been gracious to us, and He will continue to lead us by His grace until at last we are home in His presence forever.
Hebrews 13:8:
"Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever."
Scripture references:
Numbers 6:24-26
Deuteronomy 7:9, 31:8
Joshua 1:9
1 Chronicles 17
Psalms 56, 90-104, 121, 139
Lamentations 3:21-26
Matthew 28:18-20
Romans 5:1-11
Ephesians
Hebrews 13:8
Happy New Year Lighthouse!