[The Mayor]

August 18

Heaven Is Singing

Bible in a Year :

• Psalms 100-102
• 1 Corinthians 1

They cried, “Amen, Hallelujah!”

Revelation 19:4

Joy was apparent in their voices as the high school choir sang the Argentinian song “El Cielo Canta Alegría.” I was enjoying the performance but couldn’t understand the lyrics because I don’t know Spanish. But it wasn’t long until I recognized a familiar word as the choir began to jubilantly declare, “Aleluya!” Repeatedly, I heard “Aleluya,” a declaration of praise to God that sounds similar in most languages around the world. Eager to know the background of the song, I went online after the concert and discovered the title translates “Heaven Is Singing for Joy.”

In a celebratory passage in Revelation 19, we’re given a glimpse of the reality expressed in that choral song—all of heaven rejoicing! In the apostle John’s vision of the future in the last book of the New Testament, he saw an enormous gathering of people and angelic creatures in heaven declaring gratitude to God. John wrote that the chorus of voices celebrated God’s power that overcame evil and injustice, His reign over the whole earth, and eternal life with Him forever. Over and over again, all the inhabitants of heaven declare “Hallelujah!” (vv. 1, 3, 4, 6), or “Praise God!”

One day people “from every tribe and language and people and nation” (5:9) will declare God’s glory. And with joy all our voices in every different language will shout together, “Hallelujah!”

Reflect & Pray

What is a reason you can say “Hallelujah” today? Why is it vital to regularly praise God?

Hallelujah! I’m so grateful for the joy I know because I’m loved by You, my God.

[The Mayor]

August 19

Forest Darkroom

Bible in a Year :

• Psalms 103-104
• 1 Corinthians 2

The Lord turns my darkness into light.

2 Samuel 22:29

The army wouldn’t give Tony Vaccaro a chance as a photographer, but that didn’t stop him. Between terrifying moments of dodging artillery shells and shrapnel that seemed to rain from the trees, he took pictures anyway. Then, as his friends slept, he used their helmets to mix the chemicals to develop his film. The nighttime forest became the darkroom in which Vaccaro created a timeless record of World War II’s battle of Hürtgen Forest.

King David lived through his share of battles and dark times. Second Samuel 22 says, “The Lord delivered [David] from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul” (v. 1). David used those experiences to produce a record of God’s faithfulness. He said, “Waves of death swirled about me; the torrents of destruction overwhelmed me” (v. 5).

David soon pivoted from desperation to hope: “In my distress I called to the Lord,” he recalled. “From his temple he heard my voice” (v. 7). David made certain to praise God for His unfailing help. “The Lord turns my darkness into light,” he said. “With your help I can advance against a troop; with my God I can scale a wall” (vv. 29-30).

David turned his difficulties into an opportunity to tell the world about his faithful God. We can do the same. After all, we rely on the One who turns darkness into light.

Reflect & Pray

When have you felt most desperate? How will you tell others about God’s faithfulness to you in that moment?  

Dear God, please help me to see the many ways You protect and help me—especially when it’s darkest.