Oh Happy Day - Choir Devo

Living at RVA we often get prayer requests from missionaries working with the unreached and new believers.  These requests came to mind when I read the lyrics from "Oh Happy Day."

"Oh Happy Day when Jesus washed my sins away" - This is the first step for new believers.  They come to the amazing knowledge of the fact that Jesus washed their sins away.  It's that simple.

"Oh Happy Day, He taught me how to watch, fight and pray."  - One of the prayer request we hear from missionaries alot is for new believers to learn to hold onto their faith in the midst of trails.  Spiritual warfare is a real thing and I love that this song brings it up right after talking about the truth that Jesus washed away our sins.

"Oh Happy Day, live rejoicing, every day."  - The third line of this song is also an important one for Christians.  Life is not easy just because we become Christians.  We need to learn to "live rejoicing, every day"  In fact, this is the theme of our tour - "Choose Joy."

Although this song doesn't have many words the works are full of truth and they carry a powerful message.

Thankfully, our tour concert are coming together easily and quickly.  I now only have two concerts left to fill.  

The repretair has been a little harder. I have given out a few songs and then decided they don't work after hearing the choir sing them.  With only two months to prepare 10 songs I am feeling the pressure of time.  I have one last song to make a decision on and pray we can move forward with our final set list next week with 6 weeks to go.  

The bus situation has also caused a bit of a headache.  Without the second director to drive I am looking to other staff members to help out, but they all have their own jobs on campus, which means they would need subs.  I'm praying for an economical solution. 

More on the composer...

As the headlines say..."Edwin Hawkins, a Grammy Award-winning singer who merged gospel and secular sounds in a career highlighted by the accidental crossover hit “Oh Happy Day” in 1969, died on Monday in Pleasanton, Calif., east of San Francisco. He was 74."

"The Grammy winner, who had pancreatic cancer, took gospel from the church to the charts."