“How do I thank You oh Lord for taking my place on the cross; And how do I thank you oh Lord for all of your mercy and kindness. For calling me to You, for letting me hear You, for opening my heart to the gospel! As long as I have breath I will praise you. As long as my heart beats I will sing. As long as life flows in my veins, I will bless Your Name.”
(1998 Sovereign Grace Music; Words and Music by Mark Altrogge)

Psalm 118: 14
The Lord is my strength and my song; He has become my salvation.

Last night I was at a wedding of a friend (Kirk) from an old church and is presently a new pastor in the family of churches (Sovereign Grace Ministries) that I am a member of now.
Being at Kirk’s wedding reminded me of how God used the Gathering (a young adult ministry at McLean Bible Church), particularly the worship there, to ignite my heart to the knowledge of the glories of God in Jesus Christ.

During those years at the Gathering I was introduced to worship songs that were God-centered, NOT man centered! I remember worshipping one night at the Gathering and I wondered in my heart that perhaps eventually I would have to move on from this group of people that I had grown to love. I had NEVER in my Christian life experienced such God honoring worship! I couldn’t imagine where I would find a church that used these type of songs to honor God and not man. Well, God in his sovereignty, used a series of circumstances to move many of us out of that church and ministry and I ended up at Sovereign Grace Church in Fairfax.

I could not believe that my new church used the type of songs that Will Pavone had introduced me to in worship! Last night at Kirk’s wedding, my two worlds blended. Having Will leading us in worship with my Sovereign Grace family caused me to get emotional in my thanks to God for His kindness to me. God drew me into greater affections for Himself, God drew me into a love of deep worship of Him. I love the church. I love the body of Christ. I love Jesus. Yesterday, I had a glimpse of heaven as I saw friends from my former church blended with my friends at my new church and seriously, I couldn’t keep from getting teary.

I say all this to honor God and declare that it is HIM that I love to worship, that is is HE who has become my salvation and I love to worship Him with my family of God. How I thank God for my salvation. How I thank God for old friends. I thank God for new friends. He is so good to me, giving me far more than I deserve for I deserve nothing but hell and God, not only saved me but keeps giving me gift after gift. I thank you Lord God!