Friday, May 23, 2014

Redeemer Church of Dubai

This morning (Friday) we attended Redeemer Church of Dubai.  It was a fantastic experience in every way.  They hold services in the JW Marriott Hotel in an older part of downtown Dubai.  Their website indicates there are 450 members representing over 50 countries.  That in itself is amazing.  But then when you add worship music and sing together, it is awe-inspiring, encouraging, exciting, uplifting and in the end, it brings you to tears.

We sang All Hail the Power of Jesus Name with a bridge between verses...
 
     His name is Jesus
     Risen Lamb, for sinners slain
     His name is Jesus
     ALL creation sings the praise
     Of Jesus' name

That's when the tears started.  Then we sang two or three Keith and Kristyn Getty songs which I really love....and ended with Oh How Good It Is.

Oh how good it is, when the family of God
Dwells together in spirit in faith and unity.
Where the bonds of peace, of acceptance and love
Are the fruit of his presence here among us.

Oh how good it is on this journey we share
To rejoice with the happy
And weep with those who mourn.
For the weak find strength - The afflicted find grace
When we offer the blessing of belonging.

Oh how good it is to embrace His command
To prefer one another - Forgive  as He forgives.
When we live as one we all share in the love
Of the Son with the Father and the Spirit.

SO WITH ONE VOICE WE'LL SING TO THE LORD
AND WITH ONE HEART WE'LL LIVE OUT HIS WORD
TILL THE WHOLE EARTH SEES THE REDEEMER HAS COME
FOR HE DWELLS IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS PEOPLE

We sang the refrain several times...looking around at the many faces, the many colors, the many tongues...in the midst of a Muslim country/culture, it was overwhelming.  And the tears flowed.












1 comment:

Carolyn said...

I will be reading your posts regularly...so fun to see you actually there. Thank you for taking the time to post such great photos and explain with such detail what you are experiencing each day.

Love to you both.
Carolyn