Awakening Hope - A Glorify Reflection
On 19 & 20 August 2021, Awaken Generation held its live worship and album recording at Gateway Theatre, Singapore. Moved by a desire to magnify the Lord in one of the toughest times the world has ever faced, we felt it was important to gather the body of Christ in worship. But nothing prepared us for how profound those two nights would be.
In this blog, AG senior leader Alarice Hong reflects on the significance of Glorify and her revelation of the call to the church to sow hope in times of trouble.
“You reap hope when you sow hope…”
I heard these words whispered into my heart in a time of prayer and wrestling with the Lord earlier this year. It has been a difficult year, with many loved ones I know personally facing giants of illness, job losses, depression and discouragement. Resistance has been great.
As I was looking to the Lord for hope and asking for breakthrough, I felt Him challenge me with these words. If we want to experience hope in times of disaster, the Church needs to come into her call to sow hope to the world in a time of need.
I knew in my heart that a channel to release that hope was in the power of prophetic worship songs. Isaiah 24 gives a stunning prediction of a time in history where the world would be languishing, suffering and in despair - but the narrative shifts in verse 14-16 suddenly with a sound of worshippers singing the Song of the Lord, with songs from the East singing out ‘Glory to the Righteous One’.
How can we possibly praise & worship in times of great trouble? It is only possible if believers anchor ourselves in a different reality, the reality of the Kingdom of God where our portion is peace, hope and love forever and ever. This hope to a dying world is infectious, like living waters to a parched land - and this very act of faith lifting up our song invites this beautiful kingdom to be made manifest in our brokenness.
Through Glorify, our humble offering of our praise and worship in a time of trouble, I felt the Lord did just that. He released songs of hope and healing, where those suffering with the weight of depression and hopelessness were able to taste and see God’s strength and goodness. He lifted our gaze to see beyond ourselves and our own nation, and to remember the nations around us in prayer, sacrificial giving and a display of kingdom unity.
As we faithfully sowed seeds of hope through these songs, we trust that the Lord is faithful to bring forth an abundance of fruit for all, even in a time of famine.
Alarice Hong is senior leader of Awaken Generation and resident mentor for songwriting and worship leading in our AG School. Alarice’s mission in life is to inspire others to live the radical call of Jesus over their lives. Along with her husband Calvin, Alarice now ministers through song, worship leading, and teaching in the area of worship, locally and regionally. You can follow her at @alaricemusic.
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