Worship Song Sunday -- Not For A Moment (After All) - Live, by Meredith Andrews and the Vertical Church Band

'Even if my father and mother abandon me, the LORD will hold me close.' 
~ Psalm 27:10 (NLT)

The Promise, by Morgan Westling

Some years ago, there was a commercial whose tag line was 'Life Comes At You Fast.'  I wholeheartedly agree with that.  Sometimes, too fast.  And with too much flux. Nothing stays the same and you have no control. 

Like a roller coaster, I can be up one moment and down the next. Some days, it's all I can do just to hold on tightly to the safety bar and hope I don't fly out of my seat! 

Can anyone out there relate to that?

Back in June of 2000, my mother passed away; my father six years earlier. I recall sitting outside on my front steps the morning I received the phone call from the nursing home about my mom, feeling so lost and thinking, 'Wow. I'm officially an orphan.'  Being in my '40s at the time and married with two children, it was such an odd thing to come to mind, but it's how I felt. 

Ever feel that way?  Like an orphan? Neglected, forgotten, abandoned, lost, alone?  

Be encouraged, dear ones.  On days like these -- days where life comes at you at the speed of blur, everything seems out of control, or you're feeling alone and forgotten -- let's remember that we worship, serve and love a great and glorious God.  A God Who is constant. Who is good. Who is sovereign.  A God Who has promised to never leave us nor forsake us. Take some time to sit and saturate yourself with the promises of God in His Word:

I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. ~ John 14:18 (NIV)

For I will be with you as I was with Moses; I will not fail you or abandon you. ~ Joshua 1:5 (NLT)

Let your character or moral disposition be free from love of money [including greed, avarice, lust, and craving for earthly possessions] and be satisfied with your present [circumstances and with what you have]; for He [God] Himself has said, I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support. [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!] ~ Hebrews 13:5 (AMP)

When my father and my mother forsake me, then the LORD will take me up. ~ Psalm 27:10 (AKJV)

Can a woman forget her nursing child, and not have compassion on the son of her womb? Surely they may forget, but I will not forget you. See, I have inscribed you on the palms of My hands. ~ Isaiah 49:15-16, NKJV

Remember, I am with you always. ~ Matthew 28:20 HCSB

The Family of God, by Nathan Greene (copyright 1992)

It's my sincere wish that this song will not only allow you to experience a greater sense God's presence as you worship Him in song, but that it will also encourage, inspire, comfort you, and bring you hope.

I heard this song the other day for the first time while waiting for my daughter in her high school's parking lot.  I'm glad I was early and that no one was around, because the words and the music moved me to tears.  I was reminded that I am loved by a holy, good and faithful Father, Who knows where I am at all times and Who hears my cries, because He is right here with me, even when I cannot perceive His Presence. He will not forsake me -- nor you -- not for a moment. 

Sounds of the Season -- Mary, Did You Know? by the Katinas

I've heard many different versions of this song, but this one is my favorite.



When I listen to this song, and think about what I've read over the years in the Gospel accounts of Mary's encounter with the angel Gabriel, I have to wonder -- did Mary have any notion at all of what it was going to mean and all that would take place in her life when she chose to say 'Yes' to being the mother of the Son of the Most High?

Did she know -- did she wonder -- what it would cost her?  Or what it would ultimately cost her Son?



Did she have the slightest inkling what it would be like to be the mother of the Son of God? That indeed, when she would kiss the sweet, tender, baby soft skin of her infant child, Jesus, she was kissing the very face of Yahweh?

Mary had no time to run and ask for wise and godly counsel from anyone about what she should do.  She just said "Yes."

As I live my life, I can only hope to be as trusting, as obedient and as willing as Mary was, responding with her same simple, childlike faith when called to the Lord's service:

“I am the LORD’s handmaiden. May it be to me as you have said.”