Even When It Hurts

There are not sufficient words to express how difficult this week has been. It's in these incredibly trying times we need the powerful reminder to seek God. He is the only unchanging variable in constantly fluctuating circumstances. His faithfulness will be the anchor we need to endure and help each other find the light of hope in the darkness.

More Than a Song

Some songs have a more powerful personal impact than others because they stir up memories of special occasions and important events in our lives. It may be a song from our wedding, a melody that takes us back to the carefree days of our youth, or lyrics that helped us through a tough season of life. These songs tend to stick with us through the years and evoke pleasant emotions whenever we hear them. There is a special significance to them which may not matter as much to others, but certainly carries great power for us.

There is a woman in history who had an interaction with Jesus which is recorded in the book of John. We don't know much about her except for this brief engagement. She met Jesus at a well in Samaria while looking for water and ended up finding the Savior she had been searching for all her life. Despite all her choices and the social and spiritual isolation that resulted from it, she found forgiveness, comfort, and value in the eyes of the Messiah.

She may not have had the songs of today to sing, but I would imagine that she could identify with the powerful lyrics of the song below as a result of her encounter. This redeemed woman could speak with authority on the rescuing power of Christ and how her world would change. If we could listen to this song with that story in mind it might make it as powerful to us as well.

Simple Prayer

This song reflects a simple prayer for me, my family, and the church I am blessed to be part of.

Man Made

I've been reading in the Old Testament and there are numerous instances of people worshiping gods they have made themselves. They construct them out of wood, stone, and metal and then devote themselves to these objects. As hard as it may be to believe they were devotedly giving honor to something they had created and not something with any power. 

This seems foolish to us now. How could someone do something that doesn't seem to make any sense? The problem I encounter when I start throwing around my disdain is that I am forced to confront my own idol worship. 

I also worship gods of my own construction, but they just aren't as physically tangible. They are found in the measurement of my accomplishments, retweets, blog hits, Facebook likes, pats on the back, people who like me, and reputation. These man made distractions are dangerous because they reveal my own selfish nature. I have chosen to honor something that is less than deserving instead of focusing my worship where it belongs.

The physical substance may not be the same as an Old Testament idol, but the spiritual substitution is still what pulls me away from true devotion to God.

Forgive Me

My wife & I periodically visit another church on Saturday nights here in town. Their Saturday service is focused on communion and is very liturgical. It's a refreshing addition to our weekend as we can focus together in a more meditative fashion on the practice of communion. I've also been moved by the power of the recitation of meaningful words together with other worshipers. My blog yesterday shared a portion of that experience that resonated deeply with me this past weekend.

There is a portion of the service where we seek forgiveness from God as part of receiving communion. Speaking these words aloud while on your knees in prayer is a moving experience that reminds me of the depth of God's forgiveness that is available if we would only ask. It is one of the most honest prayers I have prayed and a guide for the peace of grace we all seek.

Jesus, forgive my sins.

Forgive the sins that I can remember, and also the sins I have forgotten.

Forgive the wrong actions I have committed, and the right actions I have omitted.

Forgive the times I have been weak in the face of temptation, and those when I have been stubborn in the face of correction.

Forgive the times I have been proud of my own achievements, and those when I have failed to boast of Your works.

Forgive the harsh judgments I have made of others, and the leniency I have shown to myself.

Forgive the lies I have told to others, and the truths I have avoided.

Forgive me the pain I have caused others, and the indulgence I have shown to myself.

Jesus have pity on me, and make me whole.

Set the Tone

 Our attitude sets the tone for our experience.

If we anticipate a positive interaction or a negative one we will usually be correct. Nothing ever flows exactly as we expect, but our attitude can make the difference in how we view the outcome. This is true of personal encounters, job situations, community experiences, and even church services. We can either learn to expect the best or anticipate the worst. We will find that what we set ourselves up for is what we end up experiencing.

Not Alone

Certain songs seem to resonate with me more at certain times. It's often a reflection of my current circumstances, but it's also from meditating on powerful lyrics that seem to speak to my soul. My favorite worship song right now is one called, "Open Up Our Eyes" by the team from Elevation Church. It's a simply powerful reminder of God's constant devotion to His children. It sings of the comfort gained from knowing that He is actually fighting for us and doesn't abandon us. Sometimes that's the message we need to hear the most.

I Need Thee

I stumbled across an adaptation of an old hymn last week that has been resonating in my head since I found it. That might be influenced by the fact that I've listened to it at least 20 times this past week. It's an incredibly beautiful & creative acoustic version of the hymn, "I Need Thee Every Hour" with one man (Sam Robson) singing nine different parts. The harmonies are gorgeous and I certainly marvel at Sam's range and ability to work this together. It's not just the musical groove that draws me in however. It's the simplicity of understanding my deep need for God in every hour of my life. I don't want to only desire Him in tough situations or circumstances, but in times of peace and confidence as well. He is my King, my Heavenly Father, and the Lover of My Soul and I desperately need Him at all times. It's not just an acknowledgement, but an impassioned plea.

The Same Room

One of the most awkward things I have had to adjust to in ministry was the invitation time. It's fine when people are coming forward and making decisions and asking for prayer, but a little off-setting when no one moves at all. It's not just the lack of response that is difficult to adjust to, but the fact that I am facing all of these people while not leading them in any specific way. The longer I am in ministry the more I am able to see other aspects of this time and appreciate it more fully.

I stood today at the front of a room of 300-350 people while our worship team led a powerful song behind me. While I was fully engaged in singing (while also carefully watching for anyone who might come forward for prayer) I was able to watch people simply worship. The varying outward expressions of people were a balm to my heart as I was privileged enough to witness it while taking part in it myself. The room held quiet intensity, prayerful focus, demonstrative joy, tears of healing, and fervent hope. Some hands were in the air, others clasped quietly, while some desperately gripped the chair in front of them. Response varied among us, but we all responded in some way-whether privately or publicly.

It was the beauty of a shared experience on full display in the Church. None of us is at the exact same moment in our faith journey, possesses an identical background, or has matching maturity. There is still this grand moment for us to come together, be who we are, and offer what we have to the same God.

Give Me Both

I blogged recently on the hope of Heaven and a realm that waits at the end of this earthly life. I was recently reminded of the power of that promise at a friend's church as they sang about the day that we would be made complete in Heaven. I loved the passion that was shared as we sang about the gates of Heaven opening and the desire to take people there with us. We were describing something beautiful to look forward to and the anticipation of the fulfillment of God's great promise.

I found it an interesting contrast from what we normally sing about in the churches I have been in. Most of the songs are about seeking what God has to help us get through today. They describe the awesome power of God and how He provides comfort to us through difficult times. The lyrics are filled with a desire for our earthly life to be transformed and for us to surrender our will to God so that we can make it through the toughness of this existence. Neither approach to God is incorrect, but on their own they only offer half of the answer.

The truth is that we need God for today and for the future. We aren't only looking forward to Heaven, but we are seeking God's power and deliverance for today. If we don't seek and celebrate both of these we have an incomplete picture of who He is.

Back to the Future

We have hope for the future because we have evidence of what God has done in the past. We often neglect to remember this when we are consumed by the details of each day, but our forgetfulness doesn't change the truth. The reality of daily anxiety and what appear to be insurmountable dilemmas can make it difficult to trust God. Pausing to meditate on how He has already delivered us can provide the strength we need to push through. Revering God's work in our past and eagerly anticipating God's future rescue will culminate in our present worship.

Worship Night

Tonight was a celebration. I was blessed to gather with about 40 friends and simply worship God. We prayed for many things, sang as loudly as we could, and simply submitted ourselves to the leading of the Holy Spirit. Watching people surrender themselves with hands held high and some in tears is a freeing experience. It was an exercise in reckless abandon to worship that I am still reveling in. We simply worshiped the name of God and what that means for us. There is no other name in which salvation is found and no other name under heaven worth honoring.

No other name is our shelter, our helper, provider, refuge and strength

No other name has the power to save, has the power to conquer the grave.

Just God

In Genesis 15:1, God said to Abram, "I am your shield, your very great reward." He was telling Abram that He was the true gift and not the blessings that He can give to Abram and his family.

Do we worship God more for what He does for us or just simply for who He is? Can we separate the two? His gifts are a reflection of His generous nature, but we should pursue Him more than what He can give to us. We become nothing more than spiritual blessing junkies craving the next fix if we only focus on what comes out of the God-vending-machine. We excise true joy from our relationship with Him when we only seek the blessings from His hand and neglect to simply seek His face.

Moving On

I think it's important to stop and recognize the path of progress. It is an opportunity for positive reflection and celebration of how much things have changed. There is a place for this in our personal lives and even in the church. God even gave instructions on how to worship Him in homage to the great work that has been done in & through us. 

What I haven't read in Scripture is a mandate to stay in celebratory/reflective mode without moving forward. While God had His people build altars as a reminder of where they had come from, He never told them to stay there. We are called to give God the credit for what has been done and then to continue to press on towards our ultimate goal of becoming more like Christ. 

It was Babe Ruth who said, "Yesterday's home runs don't win today's games." That doesn't negate the power of the victory or decrease the significance of the lessons that were learned. It does remind us of the importance of continuing to improve daily even as we recognize how the growth of yesterday has strengthened the foundation we are building on.

Broken Hallelujah

Music speaks to our souls and is a reflection of the intense passion we feel for life and ultimately for God. It is a way that we express our need for Him and recognize His constant presence and provision.

Our devotion, however, is imperfect. We lift our hands in surrender to the King as our spirits painfully stretch to communicate with His Holy Spirit. Our voices strain in honest moments of worship as we battle the confinements of physical life. It is not always fueled by a heart overflowing with happiness, but it is rooted in a desire for joyful understanding of His abiding love. 

There is something beautiful and sweet in the fragmented hallelujah of our flawed worship. God is able to take the meager portions that we offer to Him from our wounded insecurities and transform it into glorious perfection. He takes delight in the murmurings of honest praise from broken people.

Fortune 500

In Luke 7, we see the story of a woman who was worshiping Jesus while He was at the house of a church leader. She was so grateful for Christ that she wet His feet with her tears, dried them with her hair, and then poured ridiculously expensive perfume on them. Naturally, this offended the owner of the home and gave Jesus a teachable moment. He asked a loaded question regarding fiscal debt: if one person owes $50, another owes $500 and they both have their debts forgiven, who is more grateful? The answer is obvious to us and was to the church leader as well.

I don't believe that Jesus was trying to say that this woman (although described as "sinful") actually owed more than the Pharisee. He was making a point about our recognition of sin and gratitude for forgiveness. She realized how far her life choices had taken her from God's plan for her, and was worshiping Jesus for the new life that He offered.

An authentic relationship with Christ involves recognizing the depth of our sin, turning away from it, and worshiping God as a response to His grace and mercy. Fooling ourselves into thinking that our debt is minimal leads to a lack of spiritual intimacy and a sense of religious entitlement that is not only inappropriate, but sinful.

Middle of the Road

From my experience in ministry (and my own relationship with God) I have seen that people turn to God when things are going poorly. When we have no other solution for health, relationship, or financial problems, we will fall on our faces before God & beg Him for mercy and healing. We are also quick to jump into the fray for others that are struggling with similar issues.

I have also found that we will seek God to give Him credit when things are being blessed beyond our imagination. When the job promotion comes through, financial windfall occurs, the healing we asked for is given to us, or a relationship is restored, we throw our hands in the air (like we DO care) and sing out praises to how awesome God is.

My hypothesis (proven in my own life) is that we struggle with praising God when life is in the middle of the road. It's unfortunate that this is true since most our life is lived here. This is the relationship that He desires-not just when we press in close to Him because we are desperate for His solutions or are highly grateful for some magnificent, divine providence. Can we gain the realization that He is in all details of our lives even when we don't give it much thought?

It's the perseverance of faith that is shaped in the mundane that actually has value. We show our confident dedication to God when we stick closely to Him in the day-to-day and not just the highs and lows of life.

Guilty Pleasure

I have to admit that I like to watch YouTube videos of people auditioning for shows like American Idol, X-Factor & America's Got Talent. I might be different from some in that I don't enjoy watching people fail on these shows. Instead I gain great pleasure in hearing incredible voices that come out of obscurity. 

While part of it is attributed to my love for all styles of music, I think the greatest joy is from seeing people use what God has given them. For some of these talents they are obviously gifted to a greater level than they thought was possible. Especially in the early stages of auditioning, their genuine amazement at the positive crowd & judge reactions they receive is one of my favorite things to watch.

On a grander scale it's a realization that God has placed within all of us incredible and unique gifts. When we uncover them and are able to use them the way our Creator intends, we are right in the middle of our gifting. This becomes a true act of worship as we share what God has given us. There is a sweet, harmonious unity in recognizing the gifts in others and having the opportunity to share our own.

Actively Disengaged

God is relentlessly working to draw people to Him through any means necessary. If someone claims that they can't find God, they just aren't looking or responding. He does not decrease, fall asleep, lose power, become ineffective, or cease to be ever-present. The potential for power in worship, teaching, and serving is always simmering and ready to be released as soon as people accept what God is offering.

Flowing with the current of life and ignoring what God is doing is not a passive act. It takes an active, intentional (and perhaps subconscious) effort from us to miss it. I have seen far too many people start to move closer to God and then decide to step away from the potential of a Christ-like life. My heart is broken for the crowds of children, youth and adults that have made the active choice of removing themselves from the direct influence of God in their lives. I posit that it takes just as much effort to ignore God as it does to choose to experience His hope.

We are all faced with the daily choice to intentionally seek God and His Kingdom or to actively disengage and follow our own path that can only lead to dissatisfaction, damage, and ultimately death.

Grateful?

In Ephesians 5:18-20 we are told to be filled with the Holy Spirit and that the result of that intimate relationship will be worship. The phrase that hit me this past weekend was in verse 20-"giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

As I sat in our worship service, I had to ask myself a big question. Am I grateful always and for everything? I don't doubt that I am grateful for my physical blessings, my family, good friends, and the church. My consistency wavers however, when it comes to expressing gratitude when things are not going as anticipated. I would wager that most people are in the same predicament. 

Can we truly be grateful when we struggle with tension in our lives, emotional hurts, woundedness and brokenness, disappointment, physical illness, marital strife, financial stresses, or weariness? God didn't tell us to show gratitude only when the sun is shining, but also in the darkest of nights. It is an indication of our hearts and our belief that God is the King of all times and not just a rabbit's foot that gets credit for good luck. It is the difference between a vapor-like faith that can be blown away by changing circumstances, and a confidence in God's love and provision that is built on a foundation of rock that withstands all this life has to offer. 

Our response doesn't only reveal our hearts, but leads to a life of joyful worship that helps us persevere through tough times and reach our community for Christ at the same time.