Summarizing the Songs of Forever

“Worthy are you, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they existed and were created.” (Revelation 4:11)

“Worthy are you to take the scroll and to open its seals, for you were slain, and by your blood you ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, and you have made them a kingdom and priests to our God, and they shall reign on the earth.” (Revelation 5:9–10)

“We give thanks to you, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, for you have taken your great power and begun to reign. The nations raged, but your wrath came, and the time for the dead to be judged, and for rewarding your servants, the prophets and saints, and those who fear your name, both small and great, and for destroying the destroyers of the earth.” (Revelation 11:17–18)

“Great and amazing are your deeds, O Lord God the Almighty! Just and true are your ways, O King of the nations! Who will not fear, O Lord, and glorify your name? For you alone are holy. All nations will come and worship you, for your righteous acts have been revealed.” (Revelation 15:3–4)

If you listen to the voices on the other side of eternity, the songs of Forever could be summarized this way: “Lord, we put our hope in you, and you did everything you promised to do!”

***

In the heart of every
human being there is a
song.
We were hardwired by the
Creator to
sing.
Boys and girls
sing.
Men and women
sing.
From birth to the
grave,
in our hearts is a
soundtrack
that plays throughout
each chapter of our
story.

In the heart of every
human being there is a
song.
We sing birthday
songs.
We sing love
songs.
We sing protest
songs.
We sing political
songs.
We sing war
songs.
We sing peace
songs.
We sing sad
songs.
We sing happy
songs.
We sing victory
songs.
We sing defeat
songs.
We sing funeral
songs.
The songs we sing
always reveal what’s captured
our hearts.

In the heart of every
human being there is a
song.
We were created to
sing
because there is Someone
we were created to
sing to.
Songs of worship,
gratitude,
thanksgiving, and
praise,
were meant to fill
our hearts and
mouths.

Sin has interrupted our
songs.
The choir of worship
has been captured by
other things.
God no longer the focus of
our singing.
His presence,
his promises,
his plan,
his power,
his grace,
no longer the universal
lyric
of the human heart.
We all still sing, but
sadly, few of us sing
to him.

In the heart of every
human being there is a
song.
Only grace can
recapture our songs.
Songs of redemption
are evidence that the
singer
has been rescued by
divine mercies.

There is a day when the
great celestial choir,
from every corner of the
globe,
from every tribe and
family,
from every language known
to man,
will sing the final song of
victory,
celebration,
worship, and
redemption.
A magnificent new melody
will rise,
the unified chorus of
redemption complete.
Our Creator Savior
once and for all will own
our singing.
With grace triumphant,
sin defeated,
suffering no more,
every tear dried and
creation freed from its
long bondage to
decay,
our Lord will be the reason we
sing
and we joyfully sing his song
Forever.

***

“After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out, “Hallelujah! Salvation and glory and power belong to our God, for his judgments are true and just; for he has judged the great prostitute who corrupted the earth with her immorality, and has avenged on her the blood of his servants.”

Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out, “Hallelujah! For the Lord our God the Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and exult and give him the glory, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his Bride has made herself ready; it was granted her to clothe herself with fine linen, bright and pure”—for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.”

(Revelation 19:1–3, 6–8)

A Prayer for Today: Lord God, may the song of my heart be focused on you, your glory, and your almighty reign on this earth and in my life. I confess that I am constantly distracted by other songs that distract me from singing joyfully to you, so by your grace, would you help my heart to sing with a singularity of focus on you, Lord Jesus, my Creator Savior. It’s in your name I pray, amen.

Discussion Prompt for Children

1. What is one of your favorite songs? Why is it one of your favorites?

2. Why do you think people love to sing songs all the time? How can songs show others what is going on in our heart in ways that words themselves sometimes can’t?

3. Why do you think God loves it so much when we sing to him in worship songs? What are some things that distract you from worshipping God and how can we help each other to not get distracted from making God the most important part of our lives?

Reflection Questions

1. What are a few “songs” that you might be singing right now in your heart that aren’t about God and his presence in your life? How have those “songs” distracted you from “singing” your life’s song in worship to the Lord?

2. How does music capture your heart in ways that other things simply aren’t able to? What does that tell you about the nature of music and where its focus should be when we sing from the heart?

3. Take some time right now to ask the Lord to capture your heart with the music of the gospel so that your life’s song would be a worshipful celebration of his glory and goodness. Ask for his presence, power, and provision in your life in order that you would be a living testimony of his grace.