I am convicted of the need for all of us to have the Word written on our hearts. I love the current songs that our young people sing that have much scripture in them, because I believe singing scripture is one of the best tools we could use to commit scripture to memory, as well as touch our hearts! I imagine the early church sang the Psalms frequently and wouldn’t it be inspiring to be able to hear them singing them?! One of the greatest joys we can look forward to in eternity is to sing and to hear the music of the Lord and His heavenly host!
It’s been my blessing to write a number of praise songs that contain scripture, but none so beautiful yet as some I referred to that the youth are singing in camps and devos all around the country. And to illustrate how strongly I believe this is impacting our young people’s lives I want to share an amazing story from a camper a few years ago at Camp Blue Haven. I would love to give more details of this inspiring story, but space won’t allow that. But this incredible true event in the life of a young man from the area of Nairobi, who came to Blue Haven a few summers ago from the Houston area, tremendously shows the value of scripture being sung!
Our son, Michael, is the director of Camp Blue Haven, and he and his family make that their home for the summer months. In one session this particular year Michaels attention was drawn to a tall, rather silent and intense youth who came with a church group from Houston. Toward the end of the session Michael sought time with him and this amazing story emerged. The young man said he lived in the Nairobi area, and he was a troubled and troublesome kid in a desperate poor environment. His dad (I believe) gave up on him and arranged through a church to send him to Texas, where he hoped something good would come to him. But when the young man got to Houston, in a home there, even though he was in a Christian environment, he got into too much trouble and was sent back to Kenya.
This was during a period radical Islamist terrorists were on a siege in the Nairobi area, and were actually going through the country and killing students and anyone who would not renounce their Christian faith. When this young man got back to his home and this terrorizing was happening, he told Michael he fled to the country to try to find safety with his aging grandparents. Of course, he said he was definitely looking back at the golden opportunity he had been given, but flaunted, wishing he could undo that and be back in Texas! He and his grandparents kept getting word that the terrorists were getting nearer to their area, and finally he heard that the school he had attended there only a few days had been invaded and most of the students and teachers had been killed. He told of his grandparents taking him into the safest place in their little abode and all of them hovering together in terrible fear, for the marauders were getting closer to them. He said, “my grandfather looked at me and said, “If you know any scriptures, or prayers, now would be a good time to share them with us.” The young man said he couldn’t think of a scripture but he thought a song he’d learned in Houston with the youth contained scripture, and he began to sing the song “Do Not Fear.” Those words are taken from Isaiah 43:1f-3, and the beautiful melody brings God words to life in these words:
“When you pass through the water, I will be with you,
And the waves, they will not overtake you.
Do not fear, for I will be with you.
For I am the Lord, your God!”
And the waves, they will not overtake you.
Do not fear, for I will be with you.
For I am the Lord, your God!”
Incredibly, the terrorists did not find him and his grandparents. But, even more incredibly, God took a great hand in rescuing this young man and giving him another chance! In a very short time following this, somehow his father arranged for someone to fly in and pick his son up, and return him to Houston! When arriving there, he made a serious commitment to the Lord, and that is how he was blessed to experience a Christian camp in the beautiful New Mexico mountains. Michael said his demeanor was one of gratitude for what the Lord had done in his life, and he lived out a tremendous daily change of heart in all he did.
God’s word is so powerful! Our young people must, must be led to get it into their hearts! Their songs of scripture praise is for sure one way to accomplish this, for them and for all of us at any age!
Prayer:
O Lord, God in Heaven! You are awesome, faithful, and true! You love us and our children more than we know how to love them! Your Word is active and alive and so able to convict hearts! Thank you, Lord! Bless those who put your scripture into beautiful songs that capture the hearts of our youth and all of us!
Save us, O Lord, from the wrath that may come on this earth, by your compassionate mercy and grace you gave us in Jesus Christ! Bless all those in your kingdom here who labor to help turn hearts toward You and be saved!
In Jesus Name!
O Lord, God in Heaven! You are awesome, faithful, and true! You love us and our children more than we know how to love them! Your Word is active and alive and so able to convict hearts! Thank you, Lord! Bless those who put your scripture into beautiful songs that capture the hearts of our youth and all of us!
Save us, O Lord, from the wrath that may come on this earth, by your compassionate mercy and grace you gave us in Jesus Christ! Bless all those in your kingdom here who labor to help turn hearts toward You and be saved!
In Jesus Name!
Merkel, Texas
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