For many years now I have a Sunday morning routine. As I ready myself physically for worship, I also ready myself spiritually for worship. Part of that preparation includes listening to worship music and worshiping God for who He is, asking Him to purify my heart and get me ready to hear what He wants to speak to me. I usually listen to the same group of songs week after week for months and sometimes even years before trading them out for different songs. I pick songs that have meaning for me and it seems that I never get tired of them. The more I listen and worship along with the lyrics, the deeper the meaning of each of them gets for me.
I am thankful to God for the talent he has given songwriters, singers, and musicians. Their giftedness helps draw me closer to my Lord. Jake is an awesome songwriter. It's a talent that is God given to him since he didn't get it from either his Dad or me. Anyway, I thought I'd share the list of songs I'm listening to and worshiping with these days as I get ready for church on Sunday mornings. So here they are along with links that contain the lyrics so you can listen to them if you want: (As a quick disclaimer for all my grammar Nazis out there, I know that all the spelling and punctuation isn't correct on these videos, but just go with it.)
1. Only Hope by Caedmon's Call
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XUEQ_te2mRo
2. Amazing Grace (My Chains are Gone) by Chris Tomlin
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbe7OruLk8I
3. Love Song for a Savior (Jars of Clay)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CeF1CNT1A5s
4. You Reign (Mercy Me)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpX3DJcq7aU
5. Your Grace is Enough (Chris Tomlin)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtnE_e1LylY
6. Oh My God (Jars of Clay)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzSZZuXw_48
7. God will Lift Up Your Head (Jars of Clay)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wnb9Uj5YkR8
8. Know You in the Now (Michael Card)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EyVGWzqKSQw
9. Worlds Apart (Jars of Clay)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCezEbaMHdA
10. Draw Me Nearer (Caedmon's Call)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lHTca9aIu8
There are so many good worship songs out there. These are just some of the ones that are helping me worship God and prepare my heart for worship these days. I challenge you to make your own playlist and listen to it for a few weeks and truly seek to hear from God while you are getting ready for church and see if it makes any difference in your experience at church.
I know it's not easy tuning out the rest of the world...including your family and all their Sunday morning needs...in order to prepare your heart to hear from God, but if we go to church expecting to hear from Him we are much more likely to do so. Make the effort and see what happens.