Easter last month and May ahead signals new life and new beginnings! On Easter, we shared the story of Lazarus coming out of the tomb – from death to life! It brought a renewed meaning to the Resurrection Story of Jesus. Three times in scripture Jesus brings the dead back to life. Jesus had that effect on people who were dead or in the tomb.
Sometimes, we are also in a tomb of doubt, fear, and lifelessness. Our lives are so busy, our world is so chaotic, that sometimes we find ourselves more comfortable in a tomb. Even when the stone is rolled away, we hesitate in coming out and experiencing a new life. Often, we are so complacent that we find the tomb life as a new normal. As someone once shared with me: “I have forgotten what a life with God can really look like.” We have a relationship with God that is shallow and meaningless, and is superficial in its impact on the rest of our daily living.
On Easter, I announced a new series! It’s all about teaching us what “The Resurrected Life” looks like and feels like when we come out of the tomb. I invite you to join us as we explore and learn about “Living the Resurrected Life.” Easter is not the culmination, it is not the one day a year we celebrate Jesus! It is, in fact, the beginning of a new resurrected life. I invite you to join me on this journey of discovery and invite others to come with you.
To help discover where we are on our journeys and where we would dream to go in our relationship with God, I have always turned to songs and music! Recently, we featured an entire Sunday service on the music and songs that reflect our faith or that we find guides and leads us into a deeper walk with God. I have discovered as a pastor that when I ask people about the songs they like or listen to on the radio or on their iPhones, it readily becomes a means to know them and about their faith. In fact, over the years, I have used this as a way to not only find where people were on their faith journey, but I used it to guide me in my preaching on Sunday mornings. Imagine knowing what songs people like or a song that speaks to them in a way that can reveal to others (including the pastor) what’s happening in their life and where they need encouragement.
Recently, I have been asking people to not only share their favorite songs, but songs they have on their playlists. Do you know what a playlist is? Google it. It is a collection of songs that you save and play over and over because it is “where you are right now.” Can you see the value in it? I have persons who send me songs and music they have listened to or heard for the first time that suddenly lights up their life and allows God to speak through the music into their life. It even is a way for those who are still in the tomb to tell us what’s going on and what “word” they need to hear that will bring them out!
So, here is your assignment right now. Send me a link to a song or the name of a song (including the name of the singer). I even invite you to tell me why it is so meaningful to you right now in your life journey with God. Share it and I will enjoy listening. I will even respond after listening to it so that I can glean where we are as a church and as a “child of God.”
I invite you to send them to me by email: phildicks@gmail.com or in a text to: 515-418-0807. You will be hearing more about this in coming Sundays and see the “fruit” of your sharing in the messages and themes of Sunday worship. I NEED YOUR HELP. I believe God speaks through that music and often speaks a fresh word to me. So, Pastor, what are you listening to today that speaks to you? Here are two of them:
“I’m No Longer a Slave to Fear” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJ4XR2iuOIk
(and just today) “Jesus, Thank You” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nbCnh5Q2o1Y
I am praying for you. Let me know your songs or what you think of mine. God is in this and God is guiding us into “Resurrection Living!” Everyday for us is Easter and we can connect through our resurrection songs!
