The joy of the Lord is your strength.             (Neh 8:10)

Although we are living in a time of worldwide crisis, let’s remember that the God we worship is full of love and compassion, faithful and unchanging, and with us in our suffering. His joy is our strength.

And in that strength, we can bring “a sacrifice of praise” – we can SING! even if we don’t feel like it.

We have seen people singing to one another from balconies in Italy. Let’s firstly sing praises to God! And through our joyful worship also be uplifted in our spirits and encourage others in our households. We can also be blessed as we realize we join in with other Christians around the world, united in the Holy Spirit, and accompanied by the angels in heaven, all praising God.

¹⁵ Our part, then, is this: to bring, through him (Jesus), a continual sacrifice of praise to God – that is, mouths that confess his name, and do so fruitfully. (Hebrews 13:15 NTE)

This is a time to sing and make music with heart and voice to God because he is good, and he is with us and for us. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, ²⁰ always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. (Eph 5:19b - 20)

Jesus produces love, peace and JOY within us as the fruit of his Spirit. They don’t originate in us and they are not dependant on the outward circumstances of our lives. So, come before the Lord our God, enter the “courts of his presence” as you lift up your voice in this time of trouble. SING!, sing in your home and your car, sing with your family, sing and praise God.

The joy of the Lord is your strength.

Habakkuk 3:17-19 (NLT)

¹⁷ Even though the fig trees have no blossoms,

    and there are no grapes on the vines;

even though the olive crop fails,

    and the fields lie empty and barren;

even though the flocks die in the fields,

    and the cattle barns are empty,

¹⁸ yet I will rejoice in the Lord!

    I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!

¹⁹ The Sovereign Lord is my strength!

    He makes me as surefooted as a deer,^[a]

    able to tread upon the heights.

Psalm 100 (NIV)

A psalm. For giving grateful praise.

¹ Shout for joy to the Lord, all the earth.

²     Worship the Lord with gladness;

    come before him with joyful songs.

³ Know that the Lord is God.

    It is he who made us, and we are his^[a];

    we are his people, the sheep of his pasture.

⁴ Enter his gates with thanksgiving

    and his courts with praise;

    give thanks to him and praise his name.

⁵ For the Lord is good and his love endures forever;

    his faithfulness continues through all generations.

Some song suggestions:

Hymn: The Hymn of Joy (words below)                                                      

Rend Collective song: Joy of the Lord https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x3gLeCiMJqI                   

Chorus: Rejoice in the Lord Always                                               

The Hymn of Joy (Henry Van Dyke)

Joyful, joyful, we adore Thee

God of glory, Lord of love

Hearts unfold like flow'rs before Thee

Op'ning to the Sun above

Melt the clouds of sin and sadness

drive the dark of doubt away

Giver of immortal gladness

fill us with the light of day

All Thy works with joy surround Thee

Earth and heav'n reflect Thy rays

Stars and angels sing around Thee

center of unbroken praise

Field and forest, vale and mountain

Flow'ry meadow, flashing sea

chanting bird and flowing fountain

call us to rejoice in Thee

Thou art giving and forgiving

ever blessing, ever blest

well-spring of the joy of living

ocean-depth of happy rest

Thou the Father, Christ our Brother—

all who live in love are Thine

Teach us how to love each other

lift us to the Joy Divine

Mortals join the mighty chorus

which the morning stars began

Father-love^[8] is reigning o'er us

brother-love binds man to man.^[9]

Ever singing, march we onward

victors in the midst of strife

joyful music lifts us sunward                                                     

in the triumph song of life