The Great Depression took a major toll on a man by the name of J.C. Penney. He took it particularly hard, endangering his very health. Anxious and desperate because of huge financial losses, he felt he had nothing to live for. Even his family and friends shunned him completely. In the hospital one night, he grew so demoralized he expected to die before morning, but he heard singing coming from the little hospital chapel. The words of the song said “Be not dismayed whatever betide; God will take care of you.”
Entering into the chapel, Penney listened to the song and to the Scripture reading and prayer. He later wrote, “Suddenly, something happened. I can’t explain it. I can only call it a miracle. I felt as if I had been instantly lifted out of darkness of a dungeon into a warm, brilliant sunlight.” From that day, J.C. Penney was never plagued with worry, and he later called those moments in that chapel “the most dramatic and glorious twenty five minutes of my life.” When he died at the age of 95, he left behind over 1,600 retail department stores in his name.
Whether you believe it or not, music is therapy for the soul. I don’t have much of a voice but when I was 13 years old, I became born again. From that moment on, I love to sing and proclaim the name of Christ and the wonders of God through song. Its an incredible thing what He can do with someone as lowly as myself. I have had two songs prepared in my heart for 17 years and I have never sung them publicly. Now, this is it. For my Graceway family, I am going to perform these two songs I have in mind, one being soon, another during the holiday season, and my prayer is that you will be blessed through the proclamation of His name through song. Today, lift up your heart in song; it is good to sing praises to our God. Be encouraged by this. Bless God.
“Praise the LORD! For it is good to sing praises to our God; for it is pleasant, and a song of praise is fitting.” (Psalm 147:1 ESV)
Chris
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