Let The Nations Sing It Louder...

After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude
that no one could number, from every nation,
from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing
before the throne and before the Lamb
Revelation 7:9

Sitting in the office today, waiting for time to pass, I turned on some music. I am currently in love with the song Your Name, and I sing it out often! For those of you that have never had the pure joy to shout this worship cry to the LORD, here are the lyrics of the chorus. (Also, have a little listen at the link provided.)

Your Name
Your Name is a strong and mighty tower
Your Name is a shelter like no other
Your Name, let the nations sing it louder
Cause nothing has the power to save
But Your Name

As I sat at my desk trying so hard to sing it softly, as not to disrupt and scare my fellow employees, I was stuck with this thought, and I want to encourage each of you to pray with me for this matter this season...

This past Sunday, in Southern Baptist Convention world, we kicked off our season of Lottie Moon Christmas giving. Well, to those of you that don't know the importance of Lottie Moon, it is a special offering program that takes place each year at Christmas, all the money given to this campaign goes directly to the International Mission Board and helps support the staff, missionaries, projects, and supplies of that branch of the convention. So, for a more personal example, my gift and your gift of sacrificial giving goes directly to many individuals that I love and miss and pray for daily. Including, but not limited to, David & Mindy and little Luke, Tyler & Jennifer and sweet Hope and (soon) Sophia, Matthew & Christi and precious James and Abigail, just to name a few. So, what does this song, that offering, and those people have to do with one another? Well I am so glad you asked....

This season, as we celebrate the truth of Christmas, that is, the birth of the Son of God, who for the obedience of the Father and the heart of redemption for His people, gave of Himself everything. He made Himself nothing to redeem a people that mock Him. He stepped down from His throne, put aside His greatness and became the least for you and I, and poured out Himself by becoming the ultimate sacrifice for a lost world. As we remember that this year, I urge you dear friends, to give back to Him in a manner that is worthy of the call of the Gospel. Gifts are not bad. But this year, make a tangible, sacrificial gift this year to the men and women that have given their lives, and their childrens' lives, to the service of the LORD for the sake of the Gospel. Your gift to support this ministry will allow the nations to sing the name of JESUS louder! Prayerfully ask God to reveal to you the gift that He would have for you to give. Remember, it is His to start with, and He will not press upon your heart to give more than He in return can provide to you. Merry Christmas to each of you. Thank you David and Mindy. Thank you Tyler and Jennifer. Thank you Matthew and Christi. Thank you for making Lottie Moon personal to me. Thank you for being joyfully obedient to God's call of your lives. Thank you for loving Jesus enough to go, that the nations may know. You each are blessing to me, in ways none of you could ever imagine. You are missed this season, but He is better! Praise the LORD!! God is good....

so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow,

in heaven and on earth and under the earth,

and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord,

to the glory of God the Father.
Philippians 2:10-11