Songs to Experience God's Presence songs for CHRIST-MAS

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  Songs to Experience God's Presence in a Pandemic
Meg Bucher
Writer and Author
2021
Jan 01
50 Songs to Experience God's Presence in a Pandemic

Created in the image of God, we were made to worship Him. Our daily lives, country, and world is changing daily. Music can help us remember our unchanging God in the midst of this pandemic. Lately, one day seems like a week, and this last week has been long. In an instant, we have been reminded of the fragile state of humanity. Life is fleeting, and we have little control over our destiny, or the number of our days.

God can meet us in our fears through music, sustaining us through songs that proclaim who He is and worship that repeats the truth of His word. If we cling to those anthems and melodies in these times of great trial, we can find words to express our fears and allow our tears to fall at the healing feet of our Father, who is sovereign over all.

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Motoki Tonn

Come into His Presence with Singing
The COVID-19 pandemic is frighting, but in Christ, we do not have to be controlled by our fear. The Book of Psalms is a collection of divinely inspired hymns and songs. Many of the Psalms were written by King David, a man after God’s own heart. David had seen much trouble and experienced a lot of heartache in his life. He poured his heart out authentically and genuinely to God. Not all of us have words like David and the other psalmists, but we do have access to many beautiful songs and hymns to help us release our raw emotions to God amidst the upheaval of our daily lives.


Psalm 100:1-2 says, “Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth! Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!” (ESV) But how, in the midst of a pandemic, do we come to the LORD with gladness?

The next lines of the Psalm read: “Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people and the sheep of his pasture.” (Psalm 100:3 ESV) By remembering who God is and who we are to Him and in Christ, His strength begins to uphold us.

As the apostle Paul wrote, “But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” (2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV) The truth of God streaming through our thoughts and minds will comfort and strengthen us through very real fear we face.

“Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name! For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.” (Psalm 100:4-5 ESV) We can lean into His love during this trying time, and know He will sustain us.

Photo Credit: Unsplash/Wang Xi 

Acknowledge Your Fear and Respond with Praise
Music has often been a universal way for us to express ourselves. Those who have the words and the talent to create it often become a voice for those of us who lack the will and words to embrace and express how we are feeling through musical melodies. Worshiping God when we least feel like praising Him for all things that are good is exactly what our souls and spirits need to draw closer to our great God for comfort and reassurance.



What is the soundtrack of our minds, right now? What we listen to has a powerful impact on our thoughts, which during times like these tend to go rogue in the fear and worry column.

This pandemic is scary. It’s OK to be afraid. What we do with those thoughts, that fear, is crucial. When they drive us straight into the arms of our faithful God, Yahweh, “I am”, is faithful to comfort us. Psalm 34:17-18 reminds, “When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all of their troubles. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”



True Worship: in Spirit and in Truth
Let playlists full of Gospel music fill our ears and encourage our hearts through the gifts God has given those musicians. The Gospel Coalition has added a playlist on Spotify, Apple Music, and Amazon Music. K-Love has a “Be Encouraged,” playlist on Apple Music. Inspiration can abound whether music is secular or Christian. Whatever genre you prefer, whether Gospel, hip-hop, Latino, pop, rock, worship, Indie... there are songs out there singing of God’s truth and providing much needed comfort and emotional processing. He is our strength, our hope, and our Rock. I believe our Savior can embrace us through a song to remind of us His personal and protective love for us.

Many have taken to social media to record live concerts and encouraging serenades. Though so much in our daily life has changed in what feels like an instant, the truth of God’s word stands firm. Listening to songs that sing of those Truths allows us to experience God’s presence in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. Let’s worship our great God, trusting He is with us in this. How can anyone pick a list of songs out of all the amazing content available? Here is a start, but please continue to add to this list!

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50 Songs to Experience God's Peace

LET US REMEMBER in what we celebrate THE REASON for the Season.
It may not be the time of Christ's coming according to the HEBREW calendar
but may we take every opportunity to CELEBRATE

JESUS CAME CHRIST EMANUEL being interpreted "GOD WITH US"

Let us wish one another


and NOT

happy holiday

PLEASE KEEP JESUS as the reason for the season we celebrate.

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Let earth receive her King;
Let every heart prepare Him room,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven and nature sing,
And Heaven, and Heaven, and nature sing.

Joy to the World, the Savior reigns!
Let men their songs employ;
While fields and floods, rocks, hills and plains
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat the sounding joy,
Repeat, repeat, the sounding joy.

No more let sins and sorrows grow,
Nor thorns infest the ground;
He comes to make His blessings flow
Far as the curse is found,
Far as the curse is found,
Far as, far as, the curse is found.

He rules the world with truth and grace,
And makes the nations prove
The glories of His righteousness,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders of His love,
And wonders, wonders, of His love.

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http://www.carols.org.uk/while_shepherds_watched.htm

While shepherds watched
Their flocks by night
All seated on the ground
The angel of the Lord came down
And glory shone around
And glory shone around

"Fear not," he said,
For mighty dread
Had seized their troubled minds
"Glad tidings of great joy I bring
To you and all mankind,
To you and all mankind."

"To you in David's
Town this day
Is born of David's line
The Savior who is Christ the Lord
And this shall be the sign
And this shall be the sign."

"The heavenly Babe
You there shall find
To human view displayed
And meanly wrapped
In swathing bands
And in a manger laid
And in a manger laid."

Thus spake the seraph,
And forthwith
Appeared a shining throng
Of angels praising God, who thus
Addressed their joyful song
Addressed their joyful song

"All glory be to
God on high
And to the earth be peace;
Goodwill henceforth
From heaven to men
Begin and never cease
Begin and never cease!"

songs for CHRIST-MAS



http://www.carols.org.uk/o_litt1e_town_of_bethlehem.htm
O little town of Bethlehem
How still we see thee lie
Above thy deep and dreamless sleep
The silent stars go by
Yet in thy dark streets shineth
The everlasting Light
The hopes and fears of all the years
Are met in thee tonight

For Christ is born of Mary
And gathered all above
While mortals sleep, the angels keep
Their watch of wondering love
O morning stars together
Proclaim the holy birth
And praises sing to God the King
And Peace to men on earth

How silently, how silently
The wondrous gift is given!
So God imparts to human hearts
The blessings of His heaven.
No ear may hear His coming,
But in this world of sin,
Where meek souls will receive him still,
The dear Christ enters in.

O holy Child of Bethlehem
Descend to us, we pray
Cast out our sin and enter in
Be born to us today
We hear the Christmas angels
The great glad tidings tell
O come to us, abide with us
Our Lord Emmanuel