Music Review by Ellenor Lotter
Have you ever dreamed of being stranded on a desert island? Yes, a desert island and actually dreaming of going there! I know this sounds a bit extreme but think about it for a moment… It feels like the years go by quicker as I get older and the big rush just intensifies. Our wise Messiah Jesus said in Mark 2:27 “The Sabbath was made on account and for the sake of man, not man for the Sabbath.” [Amplified Bible] How would we then find rest among all of this craziness?
I have found that this rest even in the midst of our storm, can only be found in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ. I heard someone say that we should “operate from a place of rest” and remember thinking that they must be retired! This was before I understood that there actually is such a place and you do not have to be retired to find it! Today we will be exploring what happens “BEFORE AMEN: A WORSHIP COLLECTION”
Max Lucado has been one of my favorite authors for many years and I was delightfully surprised when I saw his name on this cd! This project was recorded to coincide with the release of his latest book, Before Amen: The Power of a Simple Prayer published by Thomas Nelson. You will hear Max speaking on tracks 1 and 13 bringing the Prelude and Postlude to this beautiful project in his own voice.
Integrity Music have pulled together 11 songs as performed by well-known names such as Kathryn Scott, Planetshakers, John Mark McMillan, Brian Doerksen, Michael W Smith, Amy Grant, Kari Jobe and many more. The album also include new songs written and performed especially for this project by Darlene Zschech and Paul and Rita Baloche.
“Prayer is essential to every Christian’s walk with God,” says Zschech. “You simply cannot have a relationship without communication and, as Max explains in Before Amen, that’s what prayer is… our simple, honest conversation with our Heavenly Father. I’m excited for the message behind the book Before Amen and honoured to share a song for the Before Amen album.”
These songs create the perfect backdrop for a time of prayer and personal devotion as we seek to get quiet before our God and start implementing some of the principles as stipulated by Max, guiding us into simple yet powerful prayers.
In Psalm 23:2 King David speaks of the Lord leading us beside still and restful waters. My prayer is that you and I will meet Him there, in that quiet place…
Let the worshipper in you arise!