Anthem

Do you ever hear that one song that resonates with the depths of your heart? Everytime you turn on the radio, you want to hear it. Everytime you plug in your ear buds, you choose it. Every time you pick up your guitar, you want to play it. You can play it over and over and over again and it never gets old. You want everyone you know to hear it. It speaks so much of what you feel and believe that you could have written it. It is like an anthem of your heart. 

I have a couple of songs like that for me right now, and I want to share these treasures with you in hopes that they will speak to your heart like they have spoken to mine. Maybe these songs will even encourage you to find anthems of your own. 

The first is "Anchor" by Hillsong. Listen to the music here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=a0cvcLy5tFc and read the lyrics below.

I have this hope

As an anchor for my soul

Through every storm

I will hold to You

With endless love

All my fear is swept away

In everything

I will trust in You

There is hope in the promise of the cross

You gave everything to save the world You love

And this hope is an anchor for my soul

Our God will stand

Unshakeable

Unchanging One

You who was and is to come

Your promise sure

You will not let go

Your Name is higher

Your Name is greater

All my hope is in You

Your word unfailing

Your promise unshaken

All my hope is in You

I love the image of my hope in Christ as an anchor for my soul. It holds me firm, steady, and steadfast. I am immovable and unshakeable in him, even when storms rage around me. 

The other song is "Yes to you" by Brett Younker. Listen here: https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=KRfTI5zdQGc and read the lyrics, too. 

When the future is unknown
and I can’t see the plan
You call my name, I hear Your voice
Your word is where I’ll stand

I’m saying yes to You
wherever You lead me, whatever You call me to
I place my trust in You
Knowing You’ll hold me, knowing You’ll see me through
I’m saying yes to You
I’ll follow You

In the stillness of my soul
I hear Your Spirit speak
who will take this love into all the world
hear am I, Lord send me

Your name is greater than mine
Your love will light the way
let Your glory shine

As I get ready to leave for Africa, both of these songs are just too perfect. They give words and melody to the song of my heart, and they speak peace and encouragement over me. 

These two songs, though different, each share a common theme. It is found in the bridges of both. One says, "Your name is higher, your name is greater." The other says, "Your name is greater than mine."

Through these words, the Lord has asked me, "Do you want to live for my name or for your own?" Such a question as this has brought me comfort when I am tempted to stay home, remain comfortable, or even doubt whether I should be going to Africa at such a time as this. When I wonder, he reminds me that His name is greater than mine. He is worthy to receive all recognition and praise, and I do not want to steal a minute of his glory. He is worth it all. His name is higher, his name is greater. All my hope is in him. So I am saying yes, knowing he will hold me and see me through. 

Pay attention to the song that the Lord has placed in your heart. Listen to that anthem over and over again. He is still speaking through the music in our souls, giving words to our prayers and the cries of our hearts. In all we do, let us remember and revolve around the greatness of HIS name, and let us live for the fame of his name and not our own.