So here we are at day 9 of the countdown to Christmas day. That means we’ve been at this business of deliberate loving for three days. We have done nice little things for strangers, shared extra love with family and friends and generally focused more on others than ourselves. It’s good right? Sure, and a little exhausting too.
Well friends, we are just getting started and, even though our numbers will be getting smaller over the next several days, the other holiday stressors are likely to grow. So here at day 9 it seems like a good time to stop a moment and refuel.
We can find lots of examples of bible heroes who, under stress, also took time out to get themselves ready for the next battle. In 1 Samuel 30, we learn how David responded following a series of extreme stressors.
“David encouraged himself in the Lord his God.”
How exactly he did that, I don’t pretend to know. But I do know what I do when my heart needs a lift. I turn to music…beautiful melodies and instrumentals that lift my heart closer to the Lord and fill me up with his amazing love. No doubt you have your own favorite playlist, but just in case I pulled together a list of songs that sing God’s love right to my heart. I also created a Spotify Playlist with them all set for you to enjoy. I call it Refuel and in the spirit of our countdown it features the following 9 artists and titles.
- Gungor – We Will Run
- Gungor – Beautiful Things
- Need To Breathe – The Outsiders
- Need to Breathe – Let us Love
- Need to Breathe – A Place Only You Can Go
- Switchfoot – Dare You to Move
- Switchfoot – Only Hope
- Matt Maher – Everything and Nothing
- Plumb – One Drop
Whether you choose to enjoy this playlist, stop and listen to your own or find another way to energize your soul for the days ahead, I pray it will be a fruitful break with the Lord.
May the peace of the Lord be with you, always.
I think it’s very likely David encouraged himself through song. And at the same time praising God despite the incredibly dire circumstance he came upon. If we could all just remember to do that…
Skip, I bet you’re right. There is something so powerful about song…such a pure form of praise and worship.