The Privilege of Worship

Thank you for being a singing church! I love it when I see you enthusiastically participating in worship each week, knowing that God is working in your lives. Music, however is only one of the ways that we corporately express worship to the Lord. We come together to sing, pray, read Scripture, give, and hear the Word of God proclaimed. Worship is not a spectator sport; it is the privilege we have as believers to focus our hearts and minds on the Lord Jesus Christ, responding in praise to how He has revealed Himself. I pray each week as we gather, that not only our voices, but also our hearts and lives would be pleasing to Him.

This week, as I am attending the Sing! Conference in Nashville, we are introducing the second volume of our Songs of Faith music devotional book here at South Tulsa. I would encourage you and your families to take one and use it in personal and family worship time at home. The book contains 10 songs that we will be singing between now and Christmas. The QR code on the introduction page allows you to listen to each one. There are also accompanying Scripture readings and devotionals to go with every song.

This coming week, I would encourage you to reflect on the words of the first song in the book: Our God Will Go Before Us. It is a wonderful new hymn that we will use next week on Legacy Sunday. It reminds us of God’s faithfulness in the past and gives us confidence in how He will direct our future. I love the second verse that says, “Through unknown paths, through shadows, our hearts fear not tomorrow. For every step, His faithfulness is the truth that lights our way.” Pastor Eric wrote a wonderful devotional to go with this hymn. I’m excited about how Songs of Faith as a devotional tool will help us prepare our hearts for worship. I’m looking forward to what God has for us as we gather as His people in the weeks to come.