He Surrounds Us

The beloved of the LORD dwells in safety. The High God surrounds him all day long, and dwells between his shoulders. Deut. 33:12

I love babies! Holding them just delights my heart. If a baby and I are in the same room, you can know it won’t be long before I’ll be holding it! In fact, it’s so well known amongst my friends that they’ve dubbed me with nicknames such as Baby Velcro, Baby Magnet, and Baby Whisperer to name a few. The last one is a play on the Horse Whisperer, the lady who can calm unruly animals.

That’s me with babies y’all! Hand me a crying baby and within a few minutes they typically calm down and fall asleep. Now, please know this is not boasting…no, no. Jeremiah 9:24 tells us “Let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the Lord…”

So that is why I’m going to reveal my top secret formula to quieting inconsolable children. It has a 100% success rate: God. Yep. It’s that simple! Actually, the presence of God through worship.

I wrap the upset baby in a blanket, pick her/him up in my arms, hold them close and start gently singing. There are three songs in my rotation. Within minutes of quietly worshipping the Lord the tender presence of the Holy Spirit is tangible. It is one of the most endearing moments to share with God as His little one becomes still as our awareness of His presence surrounding us grows.

The three songs are each short, sweet and simple and are ones which the Lord and I actually share as “Our Songs”…they are special between Him and me. You may know one of them:

I love You Lord and I lift my voice to worship You
Oh my soul, rejoice

Take joy my King in what You hear
May it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ears

Just as I sing these over babies, God often sings one of “Our Songs” over me, calming my troubled heart. It happened just this week during a prayer meeting! All week my soul had been crying out to the Lord, inconsolable, upset.

During our prayer time someone started singing…
I love You Lord and I lift my voice to worship You
Oh my soul, rejoice...

…and I became still, my awareness of His presence growing. I felt God wrap me in a blanket of His Love, pick me up in His arms, hold me close and quiet me with His song.

Y’all, as a servant of the Master Baby Whisperer, I am honored He would hold me and sing over me…it was especially sweet that He chose one of “Our Songs.” Calming my fears, soothing my heart and teaching me once again to be still and rest in my knowledge that He is good, faithful, provision, enough. He is our Father. He is our God who surrounds us with songs of deliverance (Psalm 32:7).

With Everything

Love this song! It’s the second one on my playlist.

With Everything
Hillsong

Open our eyes to see the things that make Your heart cry
To be the church that You would desire; Light to be seen

Break down our pride, and all the walls we've built up inside
Our earthly crowns and all our desires, we lay at Your feet

So let hope rise, and darkness tremble in Your holy light
And every eye will see Jesus, our God, Great and mighty to be praised

God of all days, Glorious in all of Your ways
Your majesty, the wonder and grace, in the light of Your name

With everything,with everything
We will shout forth Your glory

With everything, with everything
We will shout forth Your praise

Our hearts, they cry
Be glorified
Be lifted high
Above all names
For You our King
With everything
We will shout forth Your praise