Matthew 6:26-28
28 “And why do you worry about clothes? Look at the wildflowers in the field. See how they grow. They don’t work or make clothes for themselves.

​Jenny’s choice reminds us of who provides us with everything we have.  Which is apt for a song during Lent when Jesus relied on God for his strength and answers to the temptation thrown his way. 
In the song we’re then reminded of the creation and how it is God who creates both big and small for us. 
The chorus and the final verse then point us to thank God and praise Him for everything that has been provided for us. 
So today look out of your window and notice what God has provided you with.  Praise and thank Him for what you can see and hear and what He draws to your attention.  

1 Chronicles 29:13 (ERV)
Now, our God, we thank you,
and we praise your glorious name!

​This is George’s favourite hymn as we have so much to thank God for.

When my daughter Debbie was first diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) by a consultant in Suffolk, she and her husband Martin were told that their chances of having a child were very slim.

Years later, the MS unit moved to Colchester and Debbie’s new consultant in Essex told them, if they still wanted a child, they should start trying for one now but it may be a long wait.

One year later Abigail was born.

For this and many other reasons, I think that we should thank God. And if you’ll going to do it, you should do it well. So this recording with a full orchestra, choir and a few thousand people gives thanks to God in style.

2 Corinthians 6:18 (The Voice)   
“I will be your father, and you will be my sons and daughters,”

Revelation 5:12-13
13. “All praise and honour and glory and power forever and ever
to the one who sits on the throne and to the Lamb!”

​Liz learnt this song the first time that Mike and her went to Spring Harvest with Tim and Ruth in 2016. This turned out to be an important year for her, and it was the year that she first picked up a bass guitar! The song talks about all the wonderful things that God does and how he turns situations around (e.g. 'who makes the orphan a son and daughter') repeatedly affirms God's absolute power in everything ('the King of glory, the King above all things') and reminds us of the ultimate sacrifice and gift that God has given us ('this is amazing love, that you would take my place,' 'You laid down your life that I would be set free').

“Aside from the happy memories attached to it, this song is a declaration of the wonder of God and a beautiful reminder that God is bigger than any problem I have.”

Psalm 150 (Message)
Hallelujah!
Praise God ….
Let every living, breathing creature praise God!
Hallelujah!

​There are many covers of Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah with their mix of secular and Biblically themed lyrics.  However, the version on the link is of an Easter Hallelujah. The version on the link was written when the author was asked by her priest to sing the original at an Easter service but felt the words didn’t fit, so re-wrote it and got permission to record it herself from the original publishers. 
Hallelujah is a two part Hebrew word meaning something like ‘joyously praise the Lord’. 
This morning as you listen to this version of the Easter story, what makes you want to ‘joyously praise the Lord’?  What can you thank Him for by singing or praying your own Hallelujah?

Philippians 2:5-11 (Verse 7 below)
Rather, he made himself nothing
by taking the very nature of a servant,
being made in human likeness.

​Sharon chose this as it summed up the whole Christmas story and is pertinent to Easter as we see in verse 3.
It is sometimes easy to take sections of the Bible that inspired the festivals of Lent, Christmas and Easter out of the bigger picture.  And whilst they’re all important in their own right, it is important to sometimes step back and reflect on how it all links together. 
Without Jesus’ miraculous birth at Christmas, there would be no Jesus to be tempted in the wilderness at Lent.  Without the temptation at Lent, there would be no sinless saviour to die for us on Good Friday.  Without the death on Good Friday, there’s no resurrection on Easter Sunday.  And without the Ascension, there’s no mediator for us in Heaven, sat at the right hand of the Father. 
Use the song to pause and reflect on how it all knits together so beautifully to save us.

Psalm 23:4
Even if I walk through a valley as dark as the grave,
I will not be afraid of any danger, because you are with me.
Your rod and staff comfort me.

​Dave writes: On the morning of 18/9/2016 whilst on holiday in Gozo, Malta for some reason my attention was drawn to the front cover of my Bible on which this particular verse was printed – it really registered at the time but I didn’t have a clue why. However, later that day whilst diving at around 30m/100 feet taking photographs I suffered from the bends and was rushed into hospital – I lost the use of my legs and was placed in a decompression chamber for 6 hours to counteract the problem of having too much nitrogen in my body. I felt an unusual sense of peace in the circumstances and long story short I was transferred to the main hospital in Malta where I stayed for further sessions in a decompression chamber which successfully resolved the situation – along with prayers and support from family and friends.
Although sadly I can no longer dive I did discover that I had diabetes type 2, high blood pressure and high cholesterol plus I needed to lose weight. I wasn’t aware of any of those other than the last one but now as a result of this experience I know about them and they are all under control.
​Particular words in the song that resonate in relation to this experience and others are – ‘In oceans deep my faith will stand’ – ‘You’ve never failed and you won’t start now’ – ‘My soul will rest in your embrace’, ‘I am Yours and You are mine’, and because I can no longer dive I love instead ‘Let me walk upon the waters!’

Matthew 1:21
She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus,  
because he will save his people from their sins.

​This seemed like an appropriate song for the day when churches traditionally remember Mary being visited by the Angel Gabriel.
Hannah writes: Lowry who wrote the song said, “As my mind went back to the manger scene, I began to think about the power, authority and majesty she cradled in her arms.”
The song repeatedly asks whether Mary knew all the wonderful things that her baby would go on to do, that He would walk on water, give sight to a blind man, calm storms and save our sons and daughters. Yes, Mary knew her son was the Son of God, the angel told her in Luke 1:31 and maybe, even more than other mums-to-be, she wondered what His life would have in store.
The song, whilst typically one we’d hear at Christmas, leads us to remember how Jesus came as a baby, the miracles He did during His time on earth and through to Easter, when as prophesied, He died to save us from our sins. Jesus is The Great I AM.

John 1:1
Before the world began, the Word was there.
The Word was with God, and the Word was God.

​A google search said “This is a protest song from South Africa and was sung by those protesting against apartheid. It can still be sung as a call for freedom, in solidarity with those who are oppressed, or simply as a commitment to living in the light, love and power of God.”
This is part of Santiago’s car repertoire, a long with 10,000 reasons which he will often enthusiastically sing on our 30-minute journey to and from pre-school. When asked why he likes this song, he said “because it’s big John’s favourite song and it makes big John happy”.
It makes me happy when he is singing away to his “Jesus’ songs”, you can’t not smile and pray that it will always be like this, that he will grow up marching in the light of God.

Ephesians 6:10
To end my letter I tell you, be strong in the Lord and in his great power.
John 14:3
And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.

​Marie has chosen this song by a Christian artist called Carrie Underwood who rose to fame via American Idol where she won and the first song she released was ‘Jesus take the wheel’ (which is also worth looking up - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lydBPm2KRaU) 
There is a place for us comes from one of the Narnia films and we’ve heard in church several times about the links between some of the narrative in the Chronicles of Narnia and the Easter story (especially The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe).  There is a place for us reminds us that we’ve got a place that Jesus is preparing for us in Heaven, where our faith in God makes us belong, just as we are – clothed in King Jesus’ righteousness. 
Spend some time today appreciating what Jesus has done to prepare a place for you to be with Him and God in Heaven.

John 3:16
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

​Dan commented: It reminds me of how loved we are by God, despite all our indiscretions.
He loves US.
He sent His son to die on the cross for us so that we can have eternal life with Him.  Like John 3:16, it talks about God’s overwhelming love for us and being drawn to redemption by His grace.

Allow the imagery in the song to remind you of how powerful God’s love for you is.