Promises of God, Our Promises to Him

I took pictures of this beautiful rainbow on my way home from work last week... I think it was Tuesday. The rainbow stayed in front of me almost all the way home. I stopped at Joanna's house and she took some pictures too. The first picture was taken at the rest area, but further down the road it doubled and became much brighter, so the other two pics are taken right through the front window of the car. Not much traffic, so not much danger. Just a reminder of God's many promises to us.

Thinking about promises....

The devotional today was on "Scripture Songs". I have often been reminded by different Christian leaders and pastors that when I sing a hymn I need to think about the meaning of the words... not just the music. Many hymns are songs of commitment and dedication and if my heart is not in those words I should not be singing them.

A couple of examples:

"I'll Go Where You Want Me To Go"

It may not be on the mountain’s height,Or over the stormy sea;
It may not be at the battle’s front,My Lord will have need of me;
But if by a still, small voice He calls,To paths that I do not know,
I’ll answer, dearLord, with my hand in Thine,I’ll go
where You want me to go.

Refrain:
I’ll go where You want me to go, dear Lord,
O’er mountain, or plain, or sea;
I’ll say what You want me to say, dear Lord,
I’ll be what You want me to be.

Mary Brown 1899

Am I really willing to go anywhere? Am I really willing to do anything?

How about this one?

"I Am Thine, O Lord"

Consecrate me now to thy service, Lord, by the power of grace divine;
let my soul look up with a steadfast hope, and my wll be lost in thine.

O the pure delight of a single hour that before thy throne I spend,
when I kneel in prayer, and with thee,
my God, I commune as friend with friend!

Refrain:
Draw me nearer, nearer, blessed Lord,
to the cross where thou hast died.
Draw me nearer, nearer, nearer,
blessed Lord,
to thy precious, bleeding side.

Is the prayer of my soul to be consecrated to the Lord's service? Is it truely pure delight to spend time with the Lord?

For some of us we can really answer yes to those questions, but I'm not sure we all can all the time.... I know there are times my heart is not right and this would not be my prayer... yet I sing right along with everyone else like there's nothing wrong with my heart.

Of course there are many others hymns and probably much better examples, but this is a couple I thought of quickly.

When you're in church singing with all your Christian brothers and sisters, think about the words to those songs. Is that really the song of your heart? If so... sing heartily as unto the Lord.

God Bless you today!!!

Mrs. D