King Over the Flood...and the Worship Service

One of the blessings of being a worship leader is seeing how God uses the songs we sing on a particular Sunday to speak to certain individuals and situations. I do see my role as pastoral and consider it part of my job to have a feel for what's happening in the lives of people in our congregation, so sometimes I am a conscious part of this process. More often than not, however, I'm as surprised as anyone at how God has orchestrated the perfect set of music for a certain situation.

Today was one of those days. Right before the service started I had two conversations. One was with the new pastoral intern for family discipleship our church recently hired. She and her husband had driven from Chicago yesterday and moved into their apartment last night; she was being introduced to the congregation today. She admitted she was very nervous and I could see the anxiety on her face: this was the congregation she would be serving for the next year and she had never been to a service or met any of our people. The second conversation was with a dear friend of mine who's in the midst of a very chaotic and stressful time in her life--and things were coming to a head this weekend. When I asked how she was doing, she couldn't even answer.

As the service started and we began to lift up the Almighty God in worship, I could see both women begin to relax as they let go of their own situations and focused on the awesome qualities of their Heavenly Father. And then we started to sing "Still" by Reuben Morgan:

Hide me now, under Your wings.
Cover me within Your mighty hand.

When the oceans rise and thunders roar,
I will soar with You above the storm.
Father, You are King over the flood.
I will be still and know You are God.

Find rest my soul in Christ alone.
Know His pow'r in quietness and trust.

When the oceans rise and thunders roar,
I will soar with You above the storm.
Father, You are King over the flood.
I will be still and know You are God.

Before this morning, I would not have been able to give you a compelling reason for why I chose to do that song this week. As I watched my friend sing, with tears streaming down her face, I was overcome with thankfulness to God for working through my choices to speak to her so powerfully today.

Immediately after this song, we went into a time of sharing and praying together as a congregation. The leader of our women's bible study stood up and shared, through sobs, that their family had suffered a tragic and sudden death this week. After a time of praying together, what was the hymn we had already planned to sing?

Abide with me--fast falls the eventide;
the darkness deepens--Lord, with me abide;
when other helpers fail and comforts flee,
help of the helpless, oh, abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life's little day;
earth's joys grow dim, its glories pass away;
change and decay in all around I see;
O Lord who changes not, abide with me.

I need your presence ev'ry passing hour;
what but your grace can foil the tempter's pow'r?
Who like yourself my guide and stay can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, oh, abide with me.

I fear no foe, with you at hand to bless;
ills have no weight and tears no bitterness;
where is death's sting? Where, grave, your victory?
I triumph still if you abide with me.

Hold now your cross before my closing eyes;
shine thro' the gloom and point me to the skies;
heav'n's morning breaks and earth's vain shadows flee;
in life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

Isn't God good?