When I was involved in youth ministry, we used to talk about “God sightings,” something that happened during the day that made us acutely aware of God in our life.  Well today was a pretty big God sighting.  There have been lots of recent happenings in my family that have created stress and change, with my nephew being in a serious car accident, still working on his recovery, and my uncle recently passing away.

So on my way into work today, heading to Hilton Head Island to round on babies at the hospital, I forgot to open Spotify as I usually do to stream music, often one of my hundreds of playlists, or an artist I really like.  When I forget to do so, my car somehow randomly streams music from my phone, without Spotify or iTunes being open, and not songs that are even on my old iTunes account, downloaded on my phone, or ever played on Spotify.  Usually they are random pop or rock songs, many I’ve never heard before from artists I am unaware of.  I usually quickly open Spotify to rectify my error and listen to something I want.

But today, when the first song, “You Already Know,” started playing, I really liked it, actually listened to it twice it was so good, and spoke to me.  I wasn’t sure if the artist was singing about her boyfriend or God, though on the second listen I felt it was the latter.  The next song, “My God Is Still The Same” was a song I was unfamiliar with as well, but by an artist I knew at least, the Christian band Scantus Real.  I listened to that one twice as well, as it really hit home.  As the next dozen or so songs unfolded, they more and more pierced by soul, touching me spiritually in a way music hasn’t in a long time.  Who was the DJ of this profound, amazing playlist?  How were these songs being chosen just for me, crafting such a meaningful collection of music that I felt I was being called to share with my family, many of whom are grieving and struggling.  I think God was in control of my phone, streaming to me from Heaven.  Many would say it’s just some AI, offering me songs that I like, but many of the songs and artists I had never heard of before, though a few I have listened to with some regularity.  But why all Christian music this morning, when my phone has never randomly streamed such music to me before?

If that isn’t proof enough about God’s profound presence in my life today, while eating dinner, I swore I could hear music softly being played in the background, but I checked my phone, and no music apps were open, and no music was emanating from its speaker.  I continued to eat, and realized there it definitely music playing, and it sounded like Matt Redman’s “You Never Let Go.”  As I hunted around our first floor I realized it was coming from the screen porch.  Upon opening the slider, I could clearly hear strains of the refrain:

Oh no, You never let go
Through the calm and through the storm
Oh no, You never let go
In every high and every low
Oh no, You never let go
Lord, You never let go of me

You Never let go – matt redman

It was streaming through my Google speaker on the porch, yet I had no device streaming to the speaker.  I had to kindly say “Hey Google, stop playing music.”  I’m not making this up.  God was speaking loud and clear.

So some of the lyrics of the songs:

Whatever I’m feeling
Whatever is coming
Whenever the ending
You’re already there
You go before me
You go behind me
Wherever I’m going
You’re already there

You already know
You already know
Everything I’m scared of
Everything I hope
You hold my tomorrow
And all tomorrow holds
You already know

You Already Know – JJ Heller

Just ask the words
You prayed in desperation if they’re heard
They’ll say my God is still the same
Ask the grave
If it’s strong enough to keep hope in it’s chains
It’ll say, “God is still the same”
Yeah

When did He break His promise?
When did His kindness fail?
Never has, never will
My God is still the same
When did He lose His power?
When did His mercy change?
Never has, never will
My God is still the same, yeah

My God Is Still The Same – Sanctus Real

They say it only takes a little faith
To move a mountain
Well good thing
A little faith is all I have, right now
But God, when You choose
To leave mountains unmovable
Oh give me the strength to be able to sing
It is well with my soul…

I know You’re able and I know You can
Save through the fire with Your mighty hand
But even if You don’t
My hope is You alone
I know the sorrow, I know the hurt
Would all go away if You’d just say the word
But even if You don’t
My hope is You alone

It is well with my soul
It is well, it is well with my soul

Even If – Mercy Me

I wanna tell the world out there
You’re not some fable or fairy tale
That I’ve made up inside my head
You’re God the Son and You’ve risen from the dead

Well I wanna thank you know
For being patient with me
Oh it’s so hard to see
When my eyes are on me
I guess I’ll have to trust
And just believe what You say
Oh you’re coming again
Coming to take me away

I wanna die and let You give
Your life to me so I might live
And share the hope You gave me
The love that set me free

Make My Life A Prayer To You – Keith Green

And you’ve got the gift of mercy
Don’t ever think it’s strange
Not a curse, but it is a blessing to feel other people’s pain
And always love without condition
And trust with all your heart
There’s healing in the story of your scars

Well, it’s been awhile
Since you’ve been gone
And sometimes I still catch myself trying to call your phone
All the hopes and dreams we used to talk about
They’re still alive in me and I just hope I make you proud
Now I’m your legacy
And it’s your love still holding me together
And I still hear you say

It’s ok to cry
It’s ok to fall apart
You don’t have to try
To be strong when you are not
And it may take sometime to make sense of all your thoughts
But don’t ever fight your tears
‘Cause there is freedom in every drop
Sometimes the only way to heal a broken heart is when we fall apart
Yeah, yeah, it’s okay to fall apart
Sometimes the only way to heal a broken heart is when we fall apart

When We Fall Apart – Ryan Stevenson

Ooh, truth was crashing through the pride and the blame
Cutting straight to the heart of me
Ooh, long before I ever called Your name
You were fighting for my victory
Carved in Your flesh and bone
The wounds that have said my soul’s forgiven
Oh, now I can feel the darkness trembling

All of my fears like Jericho walls
Gotta come down, come down
All of my fears like Jericho walls
Gotta come down, come down, oh Lord
my prison turns to ruin
When Your love moves in
All of my fears like Jericho walls
Gotta come down, come down, come down

Rebuild me from the ground up
All I wanna see is You

Jericho – Andrew Ripp

You’ve been searching, carrying burdens
If you’ve been lost and looking for a home
If you’ve been drifting and something is missing
You should know that you are not alone, hey

Brothers, sisters, come on down to that river
Guaranteed you’ll never be the same
There’s a fountain flowing from the heart of the Savior
Bring your sins and all your guilty stains
Let that river of life wash it all away

River of life – mac powell

And there’s a kind of thing that just breaks a man
Break him down to his knees (oh, yeah, Lord)
God, I’ve been broken more than a time or two, yes, Lord
Then He picked me up (picked me up)
And showed me what it means to be a man
Come on and sing

All my hope is in Jesus
Thank God my yesterday’s gone

All my hope – crowder

The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want
He makes me lie down in green pastures
He leads me beside the still waters
He restoreth my soul
And guides my path in righteousness
For His name’s sake

Surely goodness and loving kindness
Shall follow me all the days of my life
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever and ever and ever

Though I walk through the valley
Of the shadow of death
I will not fear, thou art with me
Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me

Thou preparest a table
Before me in the presence of my enemies

Thou anointest my head with oil
My cup’s overflowing

Surely goodness and loving kindness
Shall follow me all the days of my life
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord
Forever and ever and ever

The Lord is my shepherd I shall not want

The Lord Is My Shepherd – Keith Green

God’s playlist:

To paraphrase my usual closing:

I hope that this music, these lyrics and my blog truly serve as a “revival: a new presentation of something old,” a springboard to return to Faith.  Rediscover the passion of God in your life. I saw God today in the melody and message of beautiful music.  God is good.

Live in the moment.

Enjoy the moment.

Love the moment.

Listen to GOD!