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Crossing Cultures Making Disciples

Keep singing

The wilderness soundtrack sounds like desert thirst. Barren field. Little fruit. 

We sit in a conference with workers from some of those fields. Where the gospel has been sung. Refrain after refrain. 

To no response.

Their voices strain at the chords. Lament in the place of veiled hearts. Where darkness is palpable. 

I remember. The struggle to keep singing in the land where captives remained captive. Hearts closed to the One and Only.

Keep singing. Photo by John Price, Unsplash

Praise and worship

During our first term, someone gave us a cassette tape. An early edition of praise and worship music. Songs that lifted high the name of Jesus. In powerful rhythm and sound. 

We would turn it on in the house. In the car. Songs in the air countering the wilderness soundtrack. 

Heaviness of spirit

But there was this one day. An ordinary day in Karachi. I remember sitting at the table in our living/dining room. Feeling a heaviness of spirit. The weight of lostness in our desert megacity.   

It was one of those days when my thoughts dipped. Focusing on the impossibility of the task. The thickness of the walls we encountered daily. 

Did You really call us to this? It would be so much easier to just give up. And go back where we came from.

“It’s too far”

I looked up and saw the cassette player sitting on a bookshelf across the room. And thought, “I should go turn on the praise and worship tape.” 

“Don’t go. It’s too hard to walk across the room and takes too much effort to press the button.” 

The thought came from out of nowhere. And jolted me. The enemy’s lie. So preposterous, I almost laughed out loud. 

Praise songs

I stood up. And began walking purposefully across the room. To the cassette player. Pressed the button. 

Suddenly, a song of praise filled the room. Hope and joy in triumphant melody. 

I began to sing along. And my heart was lifted in worship. Praising the name of the Lord our God.

Attempts to discourage

The liar fills the air with untruth. Because there’s a battle going on. For the souls of men and women and children.

The deceiver is looking for ways to discourage and cast down servants of the King who labor where he’s ruled for so many generations. 

Seeking to silence the soundtrack of the gospel in the dark and desert places. 

Stand firm

So we stand firm on the Rock. Sink our roots in the truth of the Word of God. Pray continually. 

And we defy the enemy by taking that step of faith and singing. Crying out praises to the One and Only. King of kings and Lord of lords.

By faith

After hearing the struggles of those laborers in the hard fields, we all stand to sing. Lifting voices together in worship of our God. 

I see tears in the eyes and on the cheeks of those singing His victory by faith.

By faith, His children keep walking. Keep sowing. Keep trusting. 

Keep singing

Some day streams of living water will flow in those barren places. 

Meanwhile, we keep lifting praise to the One who sees. Who understands the struggle and knows the battle. 

He is the Victor.

Keep singing.

To You, my strength, I sing praises,
because God is my stronghold—
my faithful God.
Psalm 59:17

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18 replies on “Keep singing”

Thank you Suz! so true and thanks for this reminder. We continue to “And began walking purposefully across the room,” walk purposefully! YES!

Thank God for music! I ask God’s forgiveness for those times when I did not “have the energy” to turn it on, but simply sat in desert discord.

Thank you for sharing this. What a beautiful post. This feels like a very real season right now. So thankful for these words.

Thank you Susan. Just a little praise goes a long way when the way gets tough. In my times of drought I try to remember “if you want joy (that is a song in the heart) you must praise for it.”

Isn’t music such an amazing & wonderful gift??!! 🎶 Many year’s ago as we were passing through a difficult season of life, there was a day when I was particularly discouraged and feeling hopeless. I was driving along the edge of town and the Lord told me “Turn here and go see Connie” — a long time friend, older and much wiser, who had been through many hard life experiences. She was familiar with our circumstances, and as I sat in her kitchen drinking ice tea, I asked her… “Connie, what do you do when you run out of words to pray and you just can’t pray about it anymore?” I’ve always remembered her simple answer…. “Honey… you just put on the praise music…” It’s so simple & true!! It speaks the words we need to hear about our Father & Savior, and more importantly, redirects our hearts and minds from our circumstances and situations to the One who is the answer to every question in our lives… It works every time! 🎶

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