It's So Simple

"The crowd that had been with him when he called Lazarus out of the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to bear witness. The reason why the crowd went to meet him was that they heard he had done this sign. So the Pharisees said to one another, 'You see that you are gaining nothing. Look, the world has gone after him.'" John12:17-19

It's so simple, yet somehow so hard.

We need Jesus. Our world needs Jesus. The crowd went to meet him because they heard about the things he had done. Go share with the world, your neighbor, your co-worker what Jesus has done. They will come to meet him.

How do I explain...

"The happiness promised us in Christ does not consist in outward advantages—such as leading a joyous and peaceful life, having rich possessions, being safe from all harm, and abounding with delights such as the flesh commonly longs after. No, our happiness belongs to the heavenly life.

Christ enriches his people with all things necessary for the eternal salvation of souls and fortifies them with courage to stand unconquerable against all the assaults of spiritual enemies. From this we infer that he rules—inwardly and outwardly—more for our own sake than his.

Thus it is that we may patiently pass through this life with its misery, hunger, cold, contempt, reproaches, and other troubles—content with this one thing: that our King will never leave us destitute, but will provide for our needs until, our warfare ended, we are called to triumph."

—John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion, 2.15.4

Good morning. This excerpt (above) is a pretty good communication of what I so often feel, but can't always communicate. It may seem that in the things I am committed to and the lifestyle I choose, I am not always a happy bubble of joy, but that does not mean that I am not doing well. I could not imagine at the present time being anywhere other than exactly where I am. I am content to be in the midst of what God is doing and desire to be faithfully committed to His work in me and in the world.

We fight a battle daily against the distracting illusions of the devil (to make this world our home and joy) and the temptation to leave the Great Commission behind. But it's the victories and experiencing God's grace in the failures that make following Jesus so beautiful and exciting.

It's hard though. I am seeking to learn how to live with the urgency of the gospel in my heart, yet not carrying on my back the burdens of the sorrows and the reality of the world we live in. (Or thinking that that is the "holy" thing to do). The Lord says that is His to carry. We are called to be conduits of his love to the hurting people and world around us. In living aligned with him there is a fullness of joy, peace, and purpose that one can't find anywhere else.

Here's to learning boundaries and learning how to journey through this life faithful to the call, resigned to the abundant uncomprehensible grace God desires so much to pour out on us, and hungry for the surpassing peace and joy God promises to his children.

Disciple in the training school of life.

My identity is found in Christ Alone

Here's a quote I received in my email recently from Of First Importance

"Our thinking about who we are as Christians should not begin with what we can discover about ourselves by self-analysis. Rather, it begins with what God says about those who trust in Christ."
- Sinclair B. Ferguson, Children of the Living God (Carlisle, Pa.: The Banner of Truth Trust, 1989), 3.

I just wanted to share that this was a good word for me and something I learned while I was getting lost in the Spiritual Gifts Project. This was a time of reflecting on our natural abilities, acquired skills and spiritual gifts (basically who God has made us to be and how we can bless the body of Christ).

I wrestled with digging super deep into who I was and what made me me, but found that I grew overwhelmed and confused. I wanted to know what made me special and made the mistake of thinking that that was something that could be found in me. I have since realized that it is Christ alone that makes me lovely :-) and it is Christ in me that gives me that significance I was looking for.

Seeking that "special-ness" in myself just propelled me further and further away from having Christ as my center. That was a scary place to be because I had nothing firm to stand upon.

I will leave you with a song that resonates with my heart.

Jesus be the center
Be my source be my light Jesus
Jesus be the center
Be my hope
Be my song Jesus

Be the fire in my heart
Be the wind in my sails
Be the reason that I live
Jesus, Jesus

Jesus be my vision
Be my help
Be my guide Jesus

Have a Christ-centered day my beloved Saints

And They Sang Praises with Gladness...

On the bus this morning I opened up to where I had left off in my attempt to read through the Bible and landed on 2 Chronicles 29. Here is an except from this chapter:

"25 And he stationed the Levites in the house of the LORD with cymbals, harps, and lyres, according to the commandment of David and of Gad the king’s seer and of Nathan the prophet, for the commandment was from the LORD through his prophets. 26The Levites stood with the instruments of David, and the priests with the trumpets. 27Then Hezekiah commanded that the burnt offering be offered on the altar. And when the burnt offering began, the song to the LORD began also, and the trumpets, accompanied by the instruments of David king of Israel. 28The whole assembly worshiped, and the singers sang, and the trumpeters sounded. All this continued until the burnt offering was finished. 29When the offering was finished, the king and all who were present with him bowed themselves and worshiped. 30And Hezekiah the king and the officials commanded the Levites to sing praises to the LORD with the words of David and of Asaph the seer. And they sang praises with gladness, and they bowed down and worshiped."

I don't know what it was, but I was just really touched by the theme of worship in this chapter. I thought it was cool that the Levites knew how to play instruments. I wonder if they were trained in playing instruments from birth or if once they stepped into their role in Temple Worship the Spirit filled them and gave them the ability they needed to play the song to the LORD. I am convinced that they are both equally possible.

The sound of the whole assembly worshipping, singers singing, trumpets sounding must have been a beautiful sound. How I long to have heard it. I think I experience a little of what this might have been like when my friends and others use their instrument playing/singing abilities to worship the Lord. It makes you get the chills as you sit on Holy Ground in awe of the Majesty of God, or melt inside with peace as you reflect on His extravagent grace that allows you to worship Him.

I have really been touched by the role of music and singing and worship in the Kingdom of God this summer. I have been busy rubbing up against others in community and at work, studying scripture and doing ministry, and finding myself desperate for solitude and peace of mind. I have found that worship can serve to bring unity to community, fights against spiritual warfare in ministry, and bring me to the throne of grace and truth in my personal quiet times with the God.

Now, there are many different ways to worship the LORD. Everything we do in fact should be an act of worship. Sleeping, eating, driving, playing, talking, working...imagine :-). But what I was struck by this summer was the particular role of music and song. It's powerful. I think about Gospel Music and it's history and how a lot of it is giving up those hard things to God, reminding us to praise the Lord at all times, expressing those deep emotions in ways that normal conversation simply cannot convey.

I have found that some of my most intense intercessory and personal prayer times have been when I am stirred to sing my prayers. It doesn't always happen, but when it does, it's really powerful. This mostly happens when I am alone in my car driving somewhere.

Anyway, there is so much more to this chapter in 2 Chronicles, but I'm glad for it's focus on worship. God remains faithful to his people even after generations of idol worship and disobedience. The hearts of King Hezekiah and the others are so grateful.