Please add this worship song to your online church sermon, morning devotion, or evening quiet time.
Today’s song is “A Hand to Hold” performed by JJ Heller
“For You created my inmost being; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise You because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from You when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in Your book before one of them came to be.”
Psalm 139: 13-16 (NIV)
“If anyone causes one of these little ones—those who believe in Me—to stumble, it would be better for them to have a large millstone hung around their neck and to be drowned in the depths of the sea.”
Matt 18:6 (NIV)
Today’s song, “A Hand to Hold,” performed by American Christian Folk Singer JJ Heller, beautifully reminds us how precious are our little ones and what a gift from God they are to each of us.
As I write this page today, I am at the still waters of Lake Saint Clair. I feel, see, and hear the goodness of God all around me. It is a beautiful 22 degrees Celsius/ 71.6 Fahrenheit with a gentle breeze. I watch children run around with joy, excitement, and wonder, and I hear the sounds of birds chirping and children’s giggles and laughter all around. God gives life, beauty, and love in all of His creation.
I now look back on an event earlier in my week. I was in a movie theatre; I had not been to one in years but felt the Spirit of the Lord draw me there this night. Sitting alone, I was nervous about what I would see and hear. I think others must have felt the same as I could not help but feel the weight in the entire theatre of the issue that would be played out before us. The featured movie, “The Sound of Freedom,” would highlight the subject of “child trafficking/pedophilia,” children, God’s little ones, abducted and forced to live in darkness, fear, pain, and confusion. What a tragedy.
What a contrast between these two events, God’s plan and Satan’s plan for humanity. God’s plan and desire for humanity is eternal goodness, peace, love, joy, and beauty. Satan’s plan for humanity is to kill, steal, and destroy, to cause eternal fear, pain, hate, and sadness, and to take away all of God’s goodness, peace, love, joy, and beauty intended for all humanity.
As of Friday this week (July 15, 2023,) in just over a few weeks, “Sound of Freedom” has tipped the scales of over 60 million in sales. People are being called and inspired to action. How do we respond? What can we do? I and thousands across nations came out of the movie theatre with these questions. Maybe we need to search for trustable groups/organizations to support that are relentless in the rescue of children, maybe we need to become vigilant in our prayers/intercession for God’s children, or, as I would encourage that we all, be resolved to seek revelation from the Holy Spirit of how we can be used for the rescue and protection of God’s precious children in this hour.
It is claimed that “child trafficking’ is a 1.6 billion-dollar-a-year industry. I think it is safe to say, left to men and women, that this industry is impossible to eradicate, yet I know and believe that all things are possible with God.
We pray today, to our Father above:
for God’s intervention for His precious little ones.
that as sons and daughters of the living God, we are inspired to rise to any calling from the Holy Spirit. Scripture tells us that Christ is the head, and we are the body, so may we be the hands and feet of Jesus at this critical hour.
for a resolve to pray without ceasing that children across the globe be freed to live innocent lives that God intended for them.
that every child be healed, delivered, rescued, and restored.
that we are instrumental in bringing God’s kingdom (God’s ways) to earth as in heaven.
Our God is very clear How He loves His children and how precious they are in His sight.
Today may we hold the hands of our little ones and may we hold the hands of one another as we hold the hand of our Father while being directed by the Holy Spirit to seek, heal, and love as Christ.
“Trees are made for climbing, days are made for sun.
Puddles are for jumping, fields are made to run.”
“May the living light inside you be the compass as you go
May you always know you have my hand to hold”
“May the good Lord bless and keep you, fill you with His peace
His face will shine upon you, even as you sleep.”
In Christ,
Lou-Anne
If this Song of Praise was a blessing and encouragement to you, if you know someone who needs comfort, encouragement or hope, or someone who loves to sing and dance with Contemporary Christian Music, please contact me.
A Hand to Hold
Lyrics
Trees are made for climbing, days are made for sun
Puddles are for jumping, fields are made to run
Stars are made for counting, and for wishes coming true
Sleep is made for dreaming, and I have dreams for you
May you never lose the wonder in your soul
May you always have a blanket for the cold
May the living light inside you be the compass as you go
May you always know you have my hand to hold
Stones are made for skipping, stories made to tell
Life is made for living, I pray you live it well
Learning comes from trying, so don’t be afraid to lose
Songs are made for singing, I’ll sing this one for you
May the good Lord bless and keep you, fill you with His peace
His face will shine upon you, even as you sleep
Every day, you’re changing, sometimes I wish it wasn’t true
Hearts are made for giving, I’ve given mine to you
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: Andy Gullahorn / David Heller / Jennifer Heller
Hand to Hold lyrics © The Gullahorns Music
May we grow together in the love of Christ to reflect upon the mercies and blessings upon our lives, to feel the presence of God’s living Holy Spirit through worship to sing, pray, laugh, dance, cry, but mostly to praise our Lord and Father as we were indeed created2praise.