Saturday, August 22, 2009

He Will Be Enough.

The Lord is moving. Like a swift warrior. Ready for battle. He is ready for the fight. Although I feel unprepared. The Lord wants to be my shield. The Lord longs to be my support. So He has strategically taken crutches and comfort away from me. To prepare me for battle. In the blink of an eye. Everyone I turn to. Everything I hide behind. Gone. I'm left exposed. But that's how He wants me. That's how He'll use me. He is tired of me living with my heart hidden up my sleeve. Protected from the world. And everyone in it. That's not what's needed. He needs me open. Willing to be seen. He will make me move. Places I have never dreamed. Places I never wished. Places I fear. With new people. But He'll use me. Without a doubt. The Lord is faithful. He has promised. For He who has promised is faithful. And I've learned to trust the one who has promised.

The war has already began. He is calling us to the front line. A new battle. None is weary. None stumbles. None slumbers or sleeps. Not a waistband is loose. Not a sandal strap is broken. Our arrows are sharp. All our bows are bent. We are ready. To move with confidence. Love with passion. Serve with a humble heart. There is no turning back. There is no stopping. The Lord is with us. The Lord is preparing the way. We are already victorious. Because we are serving the Lord.

Whatever happens is for His Glory. I must die before this battle if I want to have any chance of winning. With my heart wide open, I must enter this battle vulnerable. Real. God's grace will cover me. He will be enough.

Tuesday, August 18, 2009

The Power Of Love.

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

"Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls." -1 Peter1:8-9

"No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God abides in us and his love is perfected in us." -1 John 4:12

God love us. There is no denying that. He loves us so much He sent his only son to take our place. Hanging on that tree. He bled and died for us. He knew it was going to happen. He allowed it to happen. Because He loves us. He is jealous for us. And wanted to win our hearts. From the start of time He has wanted to win us back from the depths of Hell. But He doesn't want to win us back just for the few short years of our lives. No. He is playing for keeps. For eternity. We will never perish. He loves us so much that He wanted to spend eternity with us. Somedays I don't like myself enough to spent forever with me. But He loves us completely. Flaws and all. And He wants to be with us forever. Not that's true love. And He asks us to love each other as He loves us. A tough standard to live up to. But worth the struggle.

Now. No one has seen God. But that really doesn't matter much. All that matters is love. If we love one another, God lives in us. His love is perfected in us. We can have God, wholly perfect and powerful, abiding in us. If only we love one another! What power the simple act of loving someone has. So simple. So easy. Yet so powerful. The love of Christ in us could truly change the world. And because we have God living in us we, of course, love Him with our whole hearts. Even though we can't see Him. And because we feel Him at work in our heavy hearts, we believe in Him. We trust His promise.We rejoice with a joy that is inexpressible because we trust Him with our lives. We are filled with glory because we love Him. Our reward for trusting and having faith in His message is beyond belief. Beyond what we deserve.

Salvation. Redemption. Eternal freedom of our souls.

All because of a simple four-letter word.
L-O-V-E.

Friday, August 7, 2009

By My Side.

Why are you striving these days
Why are you trying to earn grace
Why are you crying
Let me lift up your face
Just don't turn away

Striving. In the wrong direction. Struggling. For worthless things And fighting Him. Sometimes with everything I have in me. I try to live for my own desires. I try to force my will into His. That's not how it works. I forget far to easily that He loves me. He desires the best plans for my life. He freely gives infinite amounts of grace. And it can't be taken away. So why am I crying? Because I turn away. I turn away from Him in shame. In embarrassment. In fear. In anger. In pride. He loving reaches down to lift up my sullen face. And I turn away.

Why are you looking for love
Why are you still searching as if I'm not enough
To where will you go child
Tell me where will you run
To where will you run

I turn away. And search fervently for love. I search for things to fill my mind. Thinking that maybe I will be the one time that God gives up. That God walks away. All the while He is lovingly calling me back... "Daughter. Come home." And I turn. And try to run from Him. I try to outsmart my creator. But luckily. He knows me. He knows my ways. He knows where I run to. Before my feet take off. And when they do start moving. He is there.

And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you

He is there. And down the street. And around the corner. And four towns over. He is by my side. And in front of me. And behind me. Where ever I end up. Whatever mess I find myself in. No matter how I feel. He is there. Even when He has taken everyone else away from me. Alone. Whenever I need Him. He always shows up. Even when I don't want Him to. Even when I fight. I fight His loving hands that tenderly try to hold me. But I fight with all that's in me. My pride gets in the way. I would rather throw myself a pity party then accept a supernatural love. He longs to hold me in His hands.

Look at these hands and my side
They swallowed the grave on that night
When I drank the world's sin
So I could carry you in
And give you life
I want to give you life

His hands. His side. By His wounds. I was healed. Death lost it's curse. He took everything I have done. Am doing. Will do. He took it all. Every one of my imperfections. They were nailed to the cross with Him. All for one thing. To carry me to everlasting life. He died to hold me. He died to give me life.

Cause I, I love you
I want you to know
That I, I love you
I'll never let you go

He died. To give me life. Not to boast about His greatness. To restore my life. Because of His unfailing love for me. He loves me. He is jealous for me. He craves my affection. He wants to prove His love. He wants me to know that He died for me. He wants me to feel the weight of His affection. The pressure of His greatest mystery. The mystery of loving me. Not only does He love. He hasn't given up. He doesn't give up. He won't give up. Through all my pushing. He holds on. By my side.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Sitting At Your Feet.

Sometimes my mind wanders. I get consumed in things to be done. Places to go. People to see. I serve. But forget the reason for serving. I forget the Unique One I'm serving. I offer my deeds. And forget to give my heart. All You want is my love. All You want is my amazement. All You want is my affection. Not my good works. Sometimes I forget to give You the praises that You are due.

It's time to take a different approach. I long to be a bit more Mary and a little less Martha. Martha was a good woman. She was a servant. But her serving distracted her from Your true beauty. You true blessing. But Mary. Mary was different. She chose what couldn't be take away. She didn't busy herself with serving. She didn't consume her thoughts with good deeds. Mary chose something better. She chose You. She sat in awe of You. And that wonder was never taken from Mary. She never grew tired of who You are. And so I'm going to try something. A Mary approach.

Sitting at Your feet. Letting You speak to my heart. Quiet. I just want to hear Your voice. I want You to effect my thinking. Change my ways. Invade my thoughts. Become my speech. Consume me. Lord. From the inside out. Totally. Completely.Remind me. Lord. I serve You. And You alone. My serving is for You. My ability to serve comes from You. I am working for You. Not the world. Allow me to sit. Be amazed. Awestruck. Inevitably peaceful. Radically changed.