Come! We That Love the Lord!

2 Chronicles 20:20-22King James Version (KJV)

20 And they rose early in the morning, and went forth into the wilderness of Tekoa: and as they went forth, Jehoshaphat stood and said, Hear me, O Judah, and ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; Believe in the Lord your God, so shall ye be established; believe his prophets, so shall ye prosper.

21 And when he had consulted with the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went out before the army, and to say, Praise the Lord; for his mercy endureth for ever.

22 And when they began to sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against the children of Ammon, Moab, and mount Seir, which were come against Judah; and they were smitten.

Dear Friends,

I still remember the choir marching in procession on Sunday mornings.  Though this practice has been eliminated in many churches today, there was joy and significance in the choir processional.  The memories bless me still.

One of the "procession" songs was We're Marching to Zion.  As a little girl I could picture myself walking up to heaven's gates.  Heaven, the beautiful city of God.

As Christians we are to be salt and light in the world.
Our actions in the House of God and in our day to day interactions have the power to transform lives.  Marching choirs played a role in transforming my life.  Some say it's just tradition. But God transcends tradition. Singers were appointed, they led the way for armies. The Bible bears record of it. When praise was rendered through song wars were won.

Come! We That Love the Lord...we are still marching up to Zion. 

in Christ,
Sis. Stephanie

"We're Marching to Zion"
Isaac Watts (Public Domain)

1. Come, we that love the Lord,
   And let our joys be known;
   Join in a song with sweet accord,
   And thus surround the throne.
   • Refrain:
     We’re marching to Zion,
     Beautiful, beautiful Zion;
     We’re marching upward to Zion,
     The beautiful city of God.
2. The sorrows of the mind
   Be banished from the place;
   Religion never was designed
   To make our pleasures less.
3. Let those refuse to sing,
   Who never knew our God;
   But children of the heav’nly King
   May speak their joys abroad.
4. The men of grace have found
   Glory begun below;
   Celestial fruits on earthly ground
   From faith and hope may grow.
5. The hill of Zion yields
   A thousand sacred sweets
   Before we reach the heav’nly fields,
   Or walk the golden streets.
6. Then let our songs abound,
   And every tear be dry;
   We’re marching through Immanuel’s ground
   To fairer worlds on high.