Words of Worship: Dedication

dedication (noun) - an act or rite of dedicating to a divine being or to a sacred use; a devoting or setting aside for a particular purpose

Synonyms: adhesion, commitment, devotedness, faith, loyalty, piety, steadfastness, troth

Antonyms: disloyalty, faithlessness, inconstancy, perfidiousness, treachery, unfaithfulness

A lot of times in the church, the word "dedication" can be associated with Baby/Family Dedication (where a young child and their family are prayed over by the congregation) or a "rededication of faith" (where an individual who has been previously baptized chooses to rededicate their life to the Lord and possibly be baptized again). While both of those things are indeed well and good, dedication is not just reserved for those two specific instances; it's something we should practice in our relationship with God every single day. Being a follower of Christ means making a choice every single day to live as Jesus did and to shine His light and spread His word throughout the world. That takes a lot of dedication to turn away from worldly things that may seem fun at the time but won't bring overall satisfaction or fulfillment. God also shows dedication to His children through His promises He has made throughout history. Dedication has a lot of layers to it, and that's why I think it's a prevailing theme in worship music. This week, I've chosen a few songs that embody that idea along with Scripture passages that likely helped inspire the songs as they were written. All Scripture references are taken from the New Living Translation of the Holy Bible.

Be Thou My Vision by Audrey Assad (traditional lyrics)

Featured on her 2016 album Inheritance, Audrey Assad delivers a really beautiful cover of this traditional Irish hymn. The lyrics speak to us being God's dedicated children and He our dedicated Father, and I love the old time feel of the lyrics.

Be Thou my wisdom and Thou my true word/I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord/Thou my great Father and I Thy true son/Thou in me dwelling and I with Thee, one/Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise/Thou mine inheritance now and always/Thou and Thou only, first in my heart/High King of Heaven, my treasure Thou art

Psalm 73:25 Whom have I in heaven but you? I desire you more than anything on earth.

Always Good by Bethel Music & Hannah McClure (written by H. McClure, R. Springer)

Featured on Bethel's 2020 live album Revival's In the Air, this is another really beautiful, soothing song with vocals from worship leader Hannah McClure. Remembering that God is good in all circumstances no matter what is a key part of keeping up our dedication to Him even when it isn't easy.

You meet me on the mountain top/You see me in the valley low/There is no home without You here/I find You in the crowded thoughts/You quiet all the question marks/There is no space Your love won’t fill/I’ll trade all my fear for peace of mind/All my heaviness for burdens light/This will be my song, that You are always good/I’ll sing it all day long that You are always good/When the day is through, I am left with/You are always, You are always good

Psalm 145:9 The Lord is good to everyone. He showers compassion on all his creation.

Do It Again by Elevation Worship (written by C. Brown, M. Brock, M. Redman, S. Furtick)

Featured on Elevation's 2017 live album There Is a Cloud, this incredible song showcases vocals from worship leader Jonsal Barrientes. Even when we can't see the good in a situation, we can rest in the fact that God is faithful to us and has never broken a promise He has made before so He definitely is not going to start now.

Walking around these walls, I thought by now they’d fall/But You have never failed me, yeah/Waiting for change to come, knowing the battle’s won/For You have never failed me, yeah/Your promise still stands/Great is Your faithfulness, Your faithfulness/I’m still in Your hands/This is my confidence, You’ve never failed me, yeah

Matthew 17:20 “You don’t have enough faith,” Jesus told them. “I tell you the truth, if you had faith even as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it would move. Nothing would be impossible.”

Closer Than You Know by Hillsong UNITED (written by J. Houston, M. Crocker, M. Chislett)

Featured on UNITED's 2015 album Empires, I was introduced to this song (with vocals by worship leaders Joel Houston and Taya Smith) during the very beginnings of quarantine last year and it could not have come at a better possible time for me personally. When we feel completely alone in the world, all we have to do is remember that God will always be by our side.

I tempered the storm though your faith was small/I prayed while you slept and the night waged war/We stood at the fire and we walked on sea/And we drank of the wine that was made of Me/Don’t turn your eyes from Me/For My love won’t be undone/Don’t hide your face from Me/For My light has surely come/Surely come, surely come

Proverbs 18:24 There are “friends” who destroy each other, but a real friend sticks closer than a brother.

Close by Hillsong Young & Free (written by A. King, D. Ussher)

Featured on Y&F's 2013 live album We Are Young & Free, this song includes vocals from worship leader Aodhan King. I've had the opportunity to help lead this song sevreral times at my home church, and each time it's been so refreshing to sing about how Jesus wants to be as close to us as we want to be close to Him.

In the arms of the Father/There is love like no other/He who formed all things/Offers love to me/Where You go, we will follow/Through the dark, through the narrow/And in all we do/We are bound to You/I want to be close to You/I want to be close to You/There’s nothing in this world/That compares to all You are

John 15:9-10 I have loved you even as the Father has loved me. Remain in my love. When you obey my commandments, you remain in my love, just as I obey my Father’s commandments and remain in his love.

I Love You Lord/Passion - Acoustic by Hillsong Young & Free (written by A. King, B. Benjamin-Korporaal, B. Tan, L. Toggs, L. Klein)

Featured on Y&F's 2017 live album Youth Revival Acoustic, this mashup has vocals from worship leader Laura Toggs. This song is beautiful in its simplicity and I think it shows a really authentic worship moment of just crying out love and dedication to Jesus through musical worship.

I love You Lord, and I lift my voice/To worship You, all my soul rejoice/Take joy, my King in what You hear/And let it be a sweet, sweet sound/Let it be a sweet, sweet sound/Let it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ear

Psalm 139:17 How precious are your thoughts about me, O God. They cannot be numbered!

Remember by Lauren Daigle (written by C. Tomlin, E. Cash, J. Ingram, L. Daigle, P. Mabury)

Featured on her 2018 album Look Up Child, this is a really good, powerful number from Lauren Daigle. When we start to have doubts, it's imperitive for us to remember God's dedication to us and realign our hearts to do His will, not our own.

In the darkest hour when I cannot breathe/Fear is on my chest, the weight of the world on me/Everything’s crashing down, everything I have known/When I wonder if I’m all alone/I remember, I remember/You have always been faithful to me/I remember, I remember/Even when my own eyes could not see/You were there, always there

I Chronicles 16:15 Remember his covenant forever - the commitment he made to a thousand generations.

Hopefully you found some good stuff to check out from this post. Happy listening, and see ya'll next week!