FAVORITE SONGS

 

Do you like to sing songs? What are some of your favorite songs? When I was your age, our teachers taught us to sing, “Row, Row, Row Your Boat.” They also taught us, “Itsy, Bitsy Spider” and “The Alphabet Song.”

When we got older, we learned “America, the Beautiful,” “My Country Tis of Thee,” and “The Star-Spangled Banner.” In church, we sang “Holy God, We Praise Thy Name,” “Holy, Holy, Holy,” and “A Mighty Fortress is Our God.” Do you have a favorite church song?

I mention songs because in our reading from Revelation (chapter 5), there is a new song. There is no name to this song, but everyone knew it. Saints, angels, people and even animals sing this new song. It’s a victory song. It’s even better than “We Are the Champions.” Your parents know the words to that one.

Do you know when we sing victory songs? We sing them after we win. We might win a game, a championship or an election; a battle or a war. Only after we win do we get to sing our victory song. So, why is everyone singing the victory song before the battle with all of God’s enemies? It's because someone already won the battle for us. Do you know who won the battle for us? Jesus won the battle for us.

Do you know how Jesus won the battle for us? Jesus didn’t win it by beating up people or by killing anyone, by blowing up cities and destroying property. Jesus won the battle for us by obeying his Father’s will and by dying on the Cross for us. When he did that, Jesus won for us the battle against Satan and sin. Now you know why we sing victory songs in church. With that, we pray. Heavenly Father, from whom all fatherhood in heaven and earth is named: Bless these and all children, and give their parents the spirit of wisdom and love, so that the homes in which they grow up may be to them an image of Your Kingdom, and the care of their parents a likeness of Your love. We pray in the Name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.