Just now, in tonight’s evening session, I witnessed an awe-inspiring, heartwarming example of true worship. Tonight’s session at Quest involved the guys writing brief essays about what God is teaching them in Quest. My desire was to help them focus some and so we started the session with four or five hymns. This group of young men is very mature and almost all of them are greatly focused on growing to follow God. They enjoy singing and we are blessed to have a very talented piano player, Joshua B., who has been gracious enough to accompany. I led the group through several requests, and was impressed by the enthusiasm and the heart behind the singing. I was very excited to get the last request: Fanny Crosby’s hymn “To God Be the Glory”

To God be the glory, great things He has done. So loved He the world, that He gave us His Son, Who yielded His life an  atonement for sin, And opened the lifegate that all may go in. Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the earth hear His voice! Praise the Lord! Praise the Lord! Let the people rejoice! O come to the Father through Jesus the Son, And give Him the glory, great things He hath done.

The power and presence of God was clearly felt—the singing was enthusiastic and the faces beaming. The atmosphere was very worshipful. It was clear to all of us that we really believed God was great, and that we really had seen God’s great works in our lives. After the first verse, I had Joshua continue softly in the background and asked the group if anyone would be willing to share one of the “great things” God had done in their life. Over a dozen hands immediately shot up. I started calling on them, and the responses were amazing in their maturity and their attitude.

“God has given me life every day!” “He has given me godly friends to lean on” “He has given us great leaders” “God has kept me going through Quest!” “He gives me strength each day to meet the challenges that day.” “He has provided for all of our needs.”

The praise was overwhelming, and tears came to my eyes—God is so good! God is so great! His works are so wonderful!

Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done, And great our rejoicing thro’ Jesus the Son; But purer, and higher, and greater will be Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see.

It was an amazing, powerful time of unity and one-accordedness. God is great, God is glorious, and I was so blessed to be allowed to lead such a time of worship. It gives me a hunger to do so more often…but such times are a gift from God’s hand. Praise the Lord! Great things He hath done!