We went to a Matthew Smith and Sandra McCracken concert last night and this song really hit me – especially the last two lines from the bridge:
Teach me, Lord, on earth to show,
By my love, how much I owe.
All I Owe
Words by Robert Murray McCheyne and Matthew Smith
Music by Matthew Smith
When this passing world is done,
When has sunk yon glaring sun,
When we stand with Christ in glory,
Looking o’er life’s finished story,
Then, Lord, shall I fully know,
Not till then, how much I owe.
Resting on these today..
The Lord is close to the brokenhearted; he rescues those whose spirits are crushed. The righteous person faces many troubles, but the Lord comes to the rescue each time.
Psalm 34:18-19 (NLT)
Give your burdens to the Lord, and he will take care of you.
Psalm 55:22 (NLT)
“Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.”
John 16:33 (NLT)
Re-post of a previous entry, as I recently pruned the yard.
This is always a good reminder…
Last Saturday, I completed the annual “pruning of the roses” task at home – not as dangerous as the “running of the bulls”, but I did have some good pokes from the thorns!
Some of the rose bushes and trees we have are pretty old (according to my neighbor, some were even transplanted years ago from his house). Some of them are younger, having been planted by us. In order to keep them healthy and flowering each year, they must be pruned – even if they look like they don’t need it…even if they have blooms right now.
Old or new, well-established or just-planted – each gets the same treatment.
I believe that God always answers prayer – and typically in one of three ways: Yes, No, or Wait.
I think in general, our desire when we pray is that God will answer as we ask, hope, and dream – which usually involves a YES answer. If we ask for “A”, our hope and expectation is that God will answer “A”, and not “B” or “C.” It’s what we expect from others when we ask them to do something – why should our prayers to God be any different.
The truth is, God knows what is best – we think we know, but we really only see our lives with a limited view. God is God and knows all; in fact, the Bible teaches that He has “known” for eternity. There is surety and comfort in that – even though a NO answer is hard, disappointing, and, in our human mind, the “wrong” answer. I guess NO is sometimes the best and most appropriate answer – believing and resting in that is called faith and trust.
For about four years, we have prayed that Continue Reading…
Awesome and powerful Creator:
Are we forgotten? Ignored?
Though our heart and man would tell us otherwise: NO!
You hem those who love You in behind and before – perfectly and completely.
Your strong hand of protection is ever on us and guides us true.
Your right hand holds strong when all else crumbles and fails.
You, and you alone, are stronger than all we face.
Search us, know us, test us, lead us, and comfort us…
…for Your glory.
amen
– based on Psalm 139
I hadn’t listened to this song in a bit. It especially hit me today…
A few weekends ago, Karen and I spent some time at Disneyland (WooHoo!). At one point, after walking around and standing in lines for about half of our 14-hour shift, we took a break, found a bench, and people watched…another fun activity to do at the park. [sometimes when i’m doing this, i wonder who is watching me and what are they observing, thinking, or saying. anyway…]
At one point, Karen made an observation that came to mind yesterday as I was talking with someone. As I recall, in effect she said:
What an amazing day yesterday – I’ll write about it at some point…I’m still processing it all.
One thing is certain:
My amazement never stops at how God constantly confirms
His love, care, direction, …
This song played several times yesterday and, this morning, I read the passage from Romans.
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.
1 Peter 2:24
x
To The Cross
Jason Ingram | Paul Baloche
Where can I go but to the cross
To the cross
For there my shame You have washed away
Where can I go but to the cross
To the cross
For there You gave up Your life for me
You stretched Your arms out wide
I lift my hands up high, to my Savior
You stretched Your arms out wide
I lift my hands up high, to my Savior
So Lord I run to the cross
To the cross
Surrender all to my Savior King
Be my ev’rything
Chains are broken
Shame has fallen
All my sins are gone
Chains are broken
Shame has fallen
All my sins are gone
x
“Present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness”
Romans 6:13
This week, I’m re-reading / listening to John Piper’s “Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die“.
On our response to the Good News of Christ:
“…salvation is not good news if it only saves from hell and not for God. Forgiveness is not good news if it only gives relief from guilt and doesn’t open the way to God. Justification is not good news if it only makes us legally acceptable to God but doesn’t bring fellowship with God. Redemption is not good news if it only liberates us from bondage but doesn’t bring us to God. Adoption is not good news if it only puts us in the Father’s family but not in his arms.”
– John Piper
x
Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous,
that he might bring us to God.
– 1 Peter 3:18
But now in Christ Jesus you who once were far off have been
brought near by the blood of Christ.
– Ephesians 2:13
MARANATHA!
I love the Genius setting on iTunes. I never know what’s coming next…
Yesterday a song I forgot I had came on and really capped some time I’d spent in Isaiah 58 (more on that later).
You see, if we are honest with ourselves, at times we read John 3:16 as, “For God so loved those we deem lovely and likable, that He sent His Son…” instead of “For God so loved the world [read: everyone], that He sent His Son…”.
We love those who:
look like us,
agree with our opinions,
are kind and don’t hurt or hate,
you know…the people who meet the standards that we set for “acceptable behavior” (even though in our hearts, we often don’t meet them).
We forget that God – the One who loved and loves perfectly and with purity – sets the standard for love: ALL ARE LOVED.
DENNARR(dot)COM 