(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert). No doubt that you, like me, have been saddened and disturbed by the Haitian earthquake and its victims. I've been thinking for a while about what (if anything) I should post about it here. There are, after all, better and more informed bloggers regarding the nation and the rescue efforts.
But this is the discussion I'll start here. How do we, as worship leaders, respond to such human tragedy? What songs do we sing now? How do we help our own congregations grieve, intercede, and inspire them to righteous action? May I suggest this blog post from Arizona worship leader Kyle Campos and the following songs available from our site (just click the titles):
- Lord, Have Mercy. Admittedly, the American church worship repertoire is deficient in biblical laments, but here's one. The chorus alone is strong enough.
- God of This City. This is a prophetic declaration and an act of intercession. "You're the Lord of this nation."
- Whole World in His Hands. Reminder of the sovereignty of God even "when all around is fading and nothing seems to last."
Want more? Here's a list of songs and hymns tagged with the terms "providence" and "hope." Remember, you can create your own lists by typing topical words such as "guidance" or "comfort" right in the text box from the Find & Buy page.
Question: What songs are you singing that speak to this tragedy?
Since this post, LifeWay has posted the following article on how the Southern Baptist Convention and many other organizations are mobilizing to offer disaster relief in Haiti: http://www.lifeway.com/article/?id=169987
I agree with you. It is a sad tragedy that deserves our attention and ministry. On the other hand, let us not be calloused to the fact that this many infants are killed everyday (130,000 worldwide) by abortion. It's a Haiti sized tragedy every single day. And the world says, "Who cares". "No big deal."
Let us grieve over this as well. 3,000 killed a day in the good ol' USA. If there was anyone who "deserved" an earthquake, it should be us who claim to be so holy and righteous compared to the rest of the world. God, bless the children!
Thanks for your comment, Bob and for your sobering reminder. There's only one song that I know of that is a lament specifically for abortion. It's called "Standing in the Gap" by Merchant Band. The bridge: "Jesus, I plead Your blood over my sins and the sins of my nation / End abortion, send revival." Unfortunately, the song is not available at LifeWayWorship.com, but you can buy Merchant Band's version on iTunes.