Learning the "Amen" with I Am They
- Amber Paris
- 9 hours ago
- 3 min read
Day/Step One: Journal
This is a personal reflection on the song and how it affects you, reminds you of something etc. Journaling is a very effective tool for engaging your feelings with God. I won't be including an example of mine or anyone else's journal days because this is a place to be vulnerable with yourself, others and God. Doing this study with a small group is ideal so that you can be vulnerable in all the sections and discussions. Also, sharing some or none of your journal entries is an option as well.
Some of my daily studies skip Journal Day altogether, as some groups have opted to have a 5-day/week study as opposed to a 6-day/week study. If this is the choice, Journal Day is probably the best day to cut.
If you need help or suggestions about Journal Day, please see the Zephaniah Worship Song Study workbook https://www.amazon.com/Zephaniah-Worship-Study-Amber-Paris/dp/B0DFM38H28.
Day/Step Two: Mark It Up (Highlight Lyrics)
In this Mark It Up, I was able to find certain themes in the lyrics: surrender, when there is nothing, and agreement. I annotated them in different colors and ways. In this one, I also made some comments on the side and listed some of the words out for each theme. I also found it helpful to define the word 'amen'. You'll find that for each song, this section will look different each time, and as you do more of them, you will be able to identify more themes and dig deeper into the meanings behind the lyrics.
Day/Step Three and Four: Scripture
This is the heart of the Zephaniah Worship Song Study. Looking back at the lyrics and what you highlighted in the last step, find the Scripture that is alluded to in the song. For example, the first verse I recorded was a verse where I found the word 'amen.' The second verse, Romans 8:26-27, is about not knowing what to pray, and the Holy Spirit groaning for us. This connects to the lyrics "I have no words to say/Don't know what I should pray." Sometimes I will draw arrows to the lyrics that I am describing or write the lyrics and then any Scripture I find. You could color code the verses you find with the lyrics. Make it your own. I like using different colors because it makes the whole journal colorful and fun to look at.
Although doing only one day of Scripture is fine, my groups always found that two days worked better because there is so much of God's Word in each worship song. You will want to get as much out of it as you can. Plus, you will be sharing your verses with each other and discussing them either in person or via a chatting platform. It's so rich to see what God is sharing with everyone else too,
Day/Step Five: Creative Flow
I love to use collage in my creative flow, but really it can be anything. You can pull out the crayons, finger paints, markers, colored pencils, whatever your creative little heart desires. Being creative is something we are all called to do in some form or another. We are made in the image of the great creator after all. So allow yourself to just create, whatever the end-product looks like, God will look at his child's art project with deep pride.
Day/Step Six: Sealing Day
Sealing Day involves taking a verse from Scripture Days that God has highlighted to you and sealing it in your heart. Doing a deep dive into the verse may involve looking up definitions of certain words, comparing several translations, reading the whole chapter to understand context, and/or reading commentaries on the verse. In this example, I chose Romans 11:33. I copied down several translations of this verse, and then I discussed how one word in a particular translation clarified and confirmed a recent sermon from my church. Doing this comparative research planted this verse in my heart and gave it deep roots.
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