"The Advocate"

As promised. :) Written by Charitie Lees Smith.

Before the Throne of God above
I have a strong and perfect plea
A great High Priest whose name is Love
Who ever lives and pleads for me.
My name is graven on His hands,
My name is written on His heart.
I know that while in Heaven He stands
No tongue can bid me thence depart.

When Satan tempts me to despair
And tells me of the guilt within,
Upward I look and see Him there
Who made an end of all my sin.
Because the sinless Savior died
My sinful soul is counted free.
For God the just is satisfied
To look on Him and pardon me.

Behold Him there the risen Lamb,
My perfect spotless righteousness,
The great unchangeable I AM,
The King of glory and of grace.
One in Himself I cannot die,
My soul is purchased by His blood,
My life is hid with Christ on high,
With Christ my Savior and my God!

Hymns Permeate My Heart

I don't want to denounce the value of the Bible, but sometimes lines from hymns stick with me better than passages from Scripture. I can read certain verses and it makes me think of certain hymns. I feel a little ashamed at times when I think "Oh, that Bible verse comes from this song" - when in reality it is the other way around. Nevertheless, I am incredibly grateful to the hymn writers throughout the centuries for giving me another resource and inspiration for my Christian walk. When certain truths are put to music, they are easier to remember, and at times they make more sense.
One of my favorite hymns that is rather unknown is called "Before the Throne of God Above", or can also be titled, "The Advocate", as I have recently discovered. I was first introduced to it several years ago at the girls summer camp at my church. It is written by Charitie Lees Smith, who is also an unknown hymn writer. She wrote "The Advocate" when she was twenty two years old, which is quite inspiring considering the truths present and the skill with which she manipulates the lyrics. It speaks of Christ being our all in all, sufficient for every trial we may ever face. We need not fear for He is our Savior, friend, advocate.
Lately I have been going through spiritual attack of being overwhelmed by guilt. I feel guilty for things I haven't even done or I have no control over, and I continue to feel guilty for sins I have already confessed and been forgiven of. The most frustrating part of it all is that I still have this tremendous desire to please God and so I don't want to ignore these feelings of guilt if they are coming from Him, pointing me to obedience or repentance. But after a while I had to realize that these feelings couldn't come from Him, as they are almost paralyzing, driving me into intense despair. A couple lines from this hymn, "The Advocate", came to my mind and a peace washed over me as I re-realized Who was on my side. They begin the second verse:
"When Satan tempts to despair,
And tells me of the guilt within;
Upward I look and see Him there,
Who made an end of all my sin."
This is the gospel. Christ's atoning sacrifice cleanses us not only from the power of sin, but also its guilt. Satan will try to bring us down by reminding us of past sins (or in my case, things never even committed), but to quote another hymn: "What though the accuser roar, of ills that I have done, I know them well, and thousands more, Jehovah findeth none!" As believers, God the Father sees us as righteous because we are clothes with the righteousness of Christ. "There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." Romans 8:1
Praise Jesus that this is true! I am so thankful that His sacrificial work on the cross atones for all my sin - past, present, and future! I have nothing to fear or worry about because of His infinite love for me!
P.S. "The Advocate" is so good that I would like to post the lyrics on this blog, but I'll do it in a separate post. :)

Open Minds & Stretched Lives

     Maybe I should drink coffee more often before church. I only have caffeine about twice a month, so when I do have it, my mind goes crazy alert. That’s how I was this morning – I got a whole bunch of stuff from the message. My only problem now is trying to condense it all into a coherent whole, when this morning everything my pastor said would lead me onto a theological rabbit trail.

     The sermon was on the church being the body of Christ, taking from Acts 2 and 1 Corinthians 12. I think that Christ’s design of the church is pretty much the coolest thing ever and something that is really not promoted much in today’s society, so I already knew that I was going to like the message. 

     Anyways, the first thing that struck me was when my pastor was talking about how every member in the church is different and has been endowed with  distinctive gifts in order to serve the body. He said that sometimes (for me it’s all the time) we have this idea in our heads of what we’re good at or where we’re gifted, and we limit ourselves to that area. But God doesn't work like that, and he knows us better than we know ourselves. The illustration was used of that of a baseball team, as my pastor used to coach baseball. When players joined the team, they would tell the coach what position they typically played or where they were good at. The coach would take that into consideration, but he would watch all the players together and determine where each one would go. Someone might be good at playing 3^rd base individually because they've always been told they had got a good arm, but that doesn't mean that’s where they should play on this particular team. The coach is the one who evaluates all the players and decides the best way for them all to play together as a team. 

     This analogy works for any kind of team or community effort. I have seen it in casts for plays, sports teams, choirs, even in the workplace. The only difference between these groups and the church is that God is the perfect director while coaches and directors are fallible leaders. The last point that my pastor made in his sermon was that the organization of the body of believers is by God’s sovereign arrangement. When I hear the term “arrangement”, I think in musical terms. An arranger is typically someone who takes a previously composed piece and changes several aspects of it (typically the harmonies and possibly the time signature/tempo), but keeps the melody and intrinsic parts of the piece the same. God is not someone that comes along behind someone else and re-does their work. The work was God’s to begin with. He not only arranges the church, he composed it to begin with. He composed (created) each of the people that make up the church, orchestrated (another musical term) their salvation, and assigned them their particular gifts in order to serve the church.

     Once we realize that the assigning and playing out of our gifts is in the Lord's hands, we should become much more open-minded with how we are going to be serving His kingdom. A quote that I read the other day went something like, "what messes up our lives up the most is our perception of how they ought to be." Talk to any person on the street and I'm sure that they are disappointed about something in their life, because it didn't turn out the way that they thought it should have. But, Isaiah 55:8-9 says, "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts." God does not work in the same way as we do, but we must trust Him to do what is best for us. 

     This has become very apparent as of late in my own life. For the past nineteen years, my relationship status has been "single". In the past two or three years, I have learned to become content in this area of my life, and have even relished and rejoiced in it at times. I was able to serve the Lord with a full fire, without the distraction of a relationship, and I got excited at the thought of remaining single my entire life because of the way that I thought the Lord could work in me and through me. 

     But, things changed a couple months ago. Out of the blue, without asking for it, a relationship blossomed in my life. It starting taking up some of my time and effort, and before long I was freaking out because I didn't know who I was anymore. I had placed my identity as a servant in being single. I thought that I could serve God's kingdom better by being single than by being in a relationship, and I was shocked to be proven wrong. In the last few months, I have grown in so many areas and so many ways that I never thought were possible. I see how relationships promote community and how I can be an encouragement to others. I could go on and on, but you get the picture. God was right, and I was wrong. I thought I was gifted in the art of singleness (and maybe I was, though it's doubtful), but God determined that it was better for me to be stretched through this relationship. 

     And boy, has it stretched me. It has been painful at times, and has laid my sins bare. But that's the thing about God - he's not in it for comfort. He's in it to sanctify us and make us more like his Son. A beautiful quote from C.S. Lewis is: "...the great thing to remember is that, though our feelings come and go, His love for us does not. It is not wearied by our sins, or our indifference; and, therefore, it is quite relentless in its determination that we shall be cured of those sins, at whatever cost to us, at whatever cost to Him." (Mere Christianity). 

     Believer, are you ready to open your mind and let go of your self-image, your picture of who you think you are and what you're good at? Are you ready and willing to dive in and serve Christ's church in whatever area is needed? Are you ready and willing to be stretched if it means becoming more like Christ and furthering His kingdom? 

     If it sounds like a daunting task, that's because it is. But God is faithful, even when we are not. And the Holy Spirit is with us always, working in us, both to will and to do His good pleasure. I have no other words but praise for my Lord, who both saves and sanctifies my soul! 

           

      

           

"Hallelujah! What a Saviour!"

This line is the refrain for the hymn "Man of Sorrows" by Philip P. Bliss. Each verse describes what the Man of Sorrows (Jesus) went through for our sake in order that our sins might be atoned for and his righteousness imputed to us. Then the refrain comes in, signifying our response to these wonderful truths: "Hallelujah! What a Saviour!" 

This should be our life's refrain. In poverty and riches, sickness and in health - Hallelujah, what a Saviour! When we feel confused, emotional, and frustrated, we can still say Hallelujah because we know what kind of a Saviour we have. When we are aware of God's crazy love for us in our unlovable state, we can praise Him for the gift of the Saviour that He gave out of His love for us. Whatever happens, at the end of day we can say "Hallelujah! What a Saviour!" 

This is what Hebrews 12:1-2 means when it says to "run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." Jesus counted it a joy to die for us. Wow. That should inspire us to praise and joyfulness. We are to be looking to Jesus, our Saviour, during the whole race. Because of Him we can say "Hallelujah" in any circumstance. 

"Tho' sundered far; by faith they meet"

This line comes from the hymn "From Every Stormy Wind That Blows", written by Hugh Stowell and composed by Thomas Hastings. The entire third verse is as follows:

"There is a spot where spirits blend, Where friend holds fellowship with friend, 

Tho' sundered far; by faith they meet Around the common mercy seat."

I love prayer, and I love praying with other people. It ties you together like nothing else can. I have a prayer group that meets once a week, and this past week one of the girls mentioned how amazing it is that the four of us there were all from different states (and I could add: different backgrounds, schooling, families, etc.), yet the Lord brought us together this semester to live on the same hall and to pray together. Crazy. God is too good to us.

"Spirits blend." There is no strife when prayer is present. When two or three are gathered in God's name, he is there among them. Like-minded believers become even more like-minded when they pray together. Your spirits meld and you understand one another better as you come before the throne of God with each other. 

"Friend holds fellowship with friend." The best thing you can do for someone is to pray for them, and the most enriching thing you can do for a relationship is to pray together. Prayer is intentional, intimate, the baring of our hearts before our Father. To pray with someone is to have close fellowship with them.

"Tho' sundered far; by faith they meet." This is what I was getting at earlier. The word "sundered" means to be separated or parted. It's amazing to see the bond that Christians have with each other even though they have never met. This past summer I felt closer with some people from Mexico that I had met ten minutes prior, than other people that I have known most of my life, simply because I knew we had the same Father and we prayed to Him together. The prayer group with the girls on my hall has given me a deeper relationship with them that I don't believe could have happened otherwise. 

"Around the common mercy seat." The mercy seat is a place of glory and reverence, but it is also a place of acceptance and familiarity. We do not need to "prepare ourselves" to pray, for our Father is always ready to hear us. The mercy seat is common in that it is widespread. I believe there are people all over the world that are praying to God right now. That is amazing to think about, and to know that God hears them all! 

What an awesome God we have! Let us not take the privilege of prayer lightly!

"Where Congregations Ne'er Break Up, And Sabbaths Have No End"

This line is from a hymn that I just heard for the first time today, entitled "Jerusalem, My Happy Home". It is a description of heaven and the believer's eager anticipation for it. The text was written by Joseph Bromehead and the music was arranged by Annabel M. Buchanan, published in 1938.
I love thinking about heaven. It seems as though spending a lot of time thinking about heaven would cause us to be daydreamers rather than doers, but it is quite the contrary. The promise of glory to come is a large motivator for action in this life. The knowledge that there is a heaven and that we will be taken someday to stay there forever puts this life in perspective. This world is not our home, but nevertheless what we do in our time here does matter and has a lasting effect on eternity.
I like the description of heaven - "Where Sabbaths have no end". Over the past couple months I have been convicted and inspired by the Holy Spirit to truly keep the Sabbath day holy and dedicated to God. At first it seemed like a daunting task to actually find things to do on the Lord's Day that weren't all the activities that I did on every other day of the week. But after getting used to it, I realized that I wanted Sundays to go on forever. I long for heaven even more than ever now that I know what a real Sabbath is like. Our Sabbaths on this earth will never be perfect, but nevertheless they point us to the eternal Sabbath where we will worship our King endlessly.
The first part of the line has great significance as well - "Where congregations ne'er break up". Too often have I seen or heard about churches breaking up or being divided by sin within the congregation. There will be none of that in heaven, for all hearts will be aligned to one goal: the glorification of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. We will be worshiping with all of God's children at this everlasting worship service. How amazing that will be! Worship without sin and struggle! "O For a thousand tongues to sing my great Redeemer's praise!"
Let us look long and often at the glory that is to come. I don't think our problems come from thinking about heaven too much, but rather too little. It will give us perspective and persistence in our race.

"Jesus Paid it All"

This is the title line to a hymn with lyrics written by Elvina M. Hall and music by John T. Grape, which both happened to be written at the same time within the same church and "happened" to go together. Cool stuff. 

I have three things to say about this line. The first is: Jesus. 

There is no sweeter name to a believer's ear than that of Jesus Christ. He is the only one who could be placed as the subject of this sentence. At the mention of His name, broken hearts and weary souls should listen and find relief. This statement becomes very important because of who it is about. What is to be said about Jesus? Many things, but the verb used here is: Paid. 

Jesus Paid. 

The greatest transaction in the history of the universe. Our lowly broken souls, released from eternal judgement and imprisonment, bought through Christ's sinless life and painful death in taking the weight of the sins of the world. His name was stained through so that ours might become washed white as snow. Justice and Mercy meet at the foot of the cross. It was a fair transaction, though we as believers cry, "why?", with tears falling as we struggle to comprehend the unbelievable. The gravity of the situation is explained through the last word of this sentence. Jesus paid what? 

Jesus Paid it All. 

All of it. All of our sin, guilt, judgement - he took it. He not only took it, he placed it on Himself and said, "I did this. I did these things." The Father's wrath was taken out upon His Son for the sins of the world. Only God has the authority to use these all-inclusive words such as "all." He is fully aware of how much sin we have, and he made sure that He washed it all away. Our debt is paid; we are free! We shall never fear, for in any situation or trial, we have peace with God because "Jesus Paid it All." 

Connections

So I am a music major, and I have to practice a lot. I also am a vocalist, and I have to sing a lot. But I don't always sing for my practice time. Sometimes I watch masterclasses on the internet to get another teacher's viewpoint on this nebulous thing known as the voice, and sometimes these masterclasses become educational beyond the musical realm, whether it was the instructor's intent or not.
There are so many parallels between the life of a musician (particularly a vocalist) and the life of a believer. Thus I have dubbed the practice room as the "sanctification room", and actually started writing a book on all of my discoveries over the past few years.
This masterclass that I watched the other day ended up being primarily about the breath, which wonder of all wonders was what I was struggling with at the time. I am loosely quoting the teacher (who was Joyce DiDonato for those of you that want to know), when I say the following:
"We can never grab onto the air and hold onto it. We have to do the actions that give us the effect, not go for the effect itself. The second we start thinking about making sound, we're in trouble. We go to try and make the sound, instead of creating the environment for the sound to happen. If we create the environment for it, freedom is there."
Wow. That makes so much sense as a vocalist. Usually the biggest thing that keeps a singer from reaching the full potential of their voice is that something is getting in the way of their breath fully releasing. As sinful human beings, we are all control freaks. Sorry to burst your bubble, but it's true. I have seen this carry over into the practice room, the stage, the ensemble, friendships, school, etc. etc. We would choose control over what is best for us. Why live by faith when you can live by sight? Why trust someone or something else when you can just "believe in yourself"?
Let me substitute the word "life" in place of the words relating to the breath.
"We can never grab onto our life and hold onto it. We have to do the actions that give us the effect, not go for the effect itself. The second we start thinking about living a good life, we're in trouble. We go to try and make a good life, instead of creating the environment for it to happen. If we create the environment for it, freedom is there."
Crazy. God does not call us find our life, but rather lose it for His sake (Matthew 10:39). When we see the flaws and inconsistencies in our life, we can't just decide to "be better". All of our good works are as filthy rags. We will continue to be discouraged as long as we are trusting solely in ourselves to live a better life.
We do not go for the effect, but rather the actions that give us the effect. What are these actions? Meeting with God, praying for the Holy Spirit to enter your life and change you from the inside out. Your focus becomes not on being a better person but rather on letting God invade every part of you and making you like Himself. We must create the environment for spiritual fruit to happen, and not try and make it out of nothing ourselves. 1 Corinthians 3:6-7 says, "I (Paul) planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So neither he who plants nor he waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth."
It's amazing to see that when we give our life over to Christ, everything that we once attributed to ourselves becomes nothing. Our personality, our likes and dislikes, and experiences, all fade away in the light of Christ that shines so brilliantly through us. Just as we have to stay out of the way of our breath when we sing and let it fully release, we have to stay out of the Holy Spirit's way and let Him do His work.
"Have Thine own way, Lord, have Thine own way!"

"My Hope is Built on Nothing Less"

     This is the opening line to the hymn that contains the refrain: "On Christ the solid Rock I stand; All other ground is sinking sand." The text was written by Edward Mote, and the music composed by Dmitri Bortnianksy. The entirety of the first line is as follows: "My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus' blood and righteousness."
     For those of you that read last week's post, it was also about hope. Therefore, I see this as a sort of continuation or part II of last Sunday's writing. Last week I talked about how our hope should never be shaken if we are placing it in the Lord Jesus Christ, and this week is an exhortation to actually put that into practice. Understanding doctrinal truths is one thing; living them out is another.
     Notice that the text says "nothing less". I was curious at first as to why it doesn't say "nothing more" instead. Who would want anything less than what Jesus Christ has given us? Wouldn't the struggle be more in wanting something more than Jesus Christ to build our hope upon?
     But that's just it. The author is revealing that adding anything to Christ's work (anything "more") becomes building our hope on an unsure foundation. Christ and Christ alone shall be our all in all. He is the Rock that is big enough and secure enough to lay all of our hopes and aspirations, needs and desires upon, and that he will sustain us.
     Unfortunately, as I said earlier, understanding the truth is not the same as living it out. How many countless times have I failed to build my hopes solely upon my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! How many countless times have I turned from Him, thinking that something else will satisfy my desire, or secure my need! We know that Christ is our Rock, but we fail to treat Him as such.
     The human heart is an idol factory. We twist and corrupt the gifts God has given us and worship them, or we become dissatisfied with what we do have and search after lesser things. We see the grass that appears greener on the other side and we decide to build our home there, even though the Rock may haven proven trustworthy in times past.
     I would exhort you to examine your heart and see where you are building your hope upon. Where do your thoughts linger most often? What consumes your time? What causes your aggravations or irritations? My dad always used to say that whatever your mind turns to first in the morning right after waking up, that is your predominant desire. Ask the Holy Spirit to show you where your heart wanders from its Maker.
     I would also exhort you to make time to spend with your Maker. The best cure for an unfaithful heart is to become enraptured with your true love. Climb up the mount where the air is most thin and your mind most clear. "Great things seem little to him who stands high; if he could live among the stars, the earth would seem as nothing." - Thomas Watson. Seeing the glory of God makes all other thing pale in comparison and become insignificant before Him.
     May God continue to work in our hearts that we may see more of Him and less of the world! Draw us nearer Lord; let us build our lives completely and only upon your perfect and finished work!

"Thy Hope, Thy Confidence Let Nothing Shake"

This line comes from the second verse of "Be Still, My Soul", written by Katharina von Schlegel, music composed by Jean Sibelius.

 Before I dive in to this, let me give a little disclaimer/explanation. My inspiration for writing these posts about hymns comes from Charles Spurgeon, and his devotional book, Morning and Evening. For each day of the year, he has two entries (on for morning, one for evening) based upon a single Bible verse. He simply expounds upon it, turning the believer's heart to raptures towards its Creator and Savior with a paragraph or two. I wanted to do something similar, only with lines from hymns.

As much as I would like to, I cannot write like Spurgeon. I tried to last week, and it just didn't work out. There were a couple things that I said or didn't say because they weren't Spurgeon-esque. So I would like to announce that I am intending to go back to my choppy blunt writing and forgo attempting the elegance that Spurgeon possessed, and pray that Holy Spirit would continue to use me regardless. 

Now, back to the hymn. As I get older and gather little tidbits of wisdom here and there, I have realized that life is more about balance and stability rather than hopping aboard every emotional roller coaster that looks inviting. Your life from age zero to twenty-two(ish) is full of changes and growth and discovery. After that it seems to be just the long stretch of "adulthood", where not much happens except work, work, possibly family, and work. And to be honest, that is rather true. There's not so much drama and the world isn't ending daily and you're not having an identity crisis every week or so (hopefully). You learn to go with the flow. Life is life - time is going to keep moving whether you want it to or not, so you learn to live with it. You learn to accept what you've been given and cherish the time you have. At least that's what I'm learning. 

As Christians, we should be the most chill people of all. We should know how to roll with the punches of life. Psalm 112:6-7 says, "For the righteous will never be moved; he will be remembered forever. He is not afraid of bad news; his heart is firm, trusting in the LORD." We will never be moved if we are trusting in the LORD; our confidence will never be shaken if He is whom we place our trust in. 

I said that I wasn't going to try and write like Spurgeon, but I can quote him: "Not one ship in the convoy shall suffer wreck; the great Commodore will steer every barque in safety to the desired haven. By faith we will slip our cable for another day's cruise, and sail forth with Jesus into a sea of tribulation. Winds and waves will not spare us, but they all obey Him; and, therefore, whatever squalls may occur without, faith shall feel a a blessed calm within." Believers are not without trials, but we feel a blessed calm throughout it all if we are in Christ. We feel Psalm 23 as we are experiencing Psalm 2 (Please go look up Leonard Bernstein's Chichester Psalms 2nd movement if you have not heard it). Christ is our solid rock when all around us is sinking sand.

I have just one other illustration, and I particularly like it because it is musical, but hopefully I can explain it accurately enough to get my point across. In music there is something referred to as a Cantus Firmus, and it can be defined as: "a preexisting melody used as the basis of a polyphonic (many voices) composition". It is basically the thing that is the basis for and of the whole piece; what all the other parts are created from. There is also this dude called Dietrich Bonhoeffer, who was a pretty awesome guy during WWII. He was also quite a talented musician, of which I did not know about until a couple months ago. Anyway, he wrote this concerning the Cantus Firmus: "I wanted to tell you to have a good, clear, cantus firmus; that is the only way to a full and perfect sound, when the counterpoint has a firm support and can't come adrift or get out of tune, while remaining a distinct whole in its own right. Only a polyphony of this kind can give life a wholeness and at the same time assure us that nothing calamitous can happen as long as the cantus firmus is kept going." 

This is such an accurate picture of what our relationship with God should look like. He is the cantus firmus that the rest of our life is built upon. Since He is ever faithful and unchanging, we can be assured that nothing really truly calamitous can happen as long as we are trusting in Him. We ride through the calms and the storm because He is in control of both. Great is His faithfulness! Be still, my soul - let nothing shake your hope or confidence!

Gospel Exploration

“All the fitness He requireth is to feel your need of Him”

“Come Ye Sinners, Poor and Needy”

Joseph Hart, Traditional American Melody

It is not the healthy that need a doctor, it is the sick. The deluded that believe that they are healthy will never go to the doctor. All Christ asks us is to believe the truth that we are sick and in need of a Healer. He is the only one that can cure us.

We are not saved by any works that we have done, but by the sinless life and sacrificial death of our Lord Jesus Christ. Our human nature inclines us to try and add to Christ’s work. The only equation that is valid in the gospel is Jesus + NOTHING = Everything. There is nothing we could do or should do in order to receive favor or forgiveness from our Lord.

Believer, do not think that you can serve the Father in some better way than He has ordained. Do not fall into the trap that salvation was a past event; Christ’s work is past, present, and future. The gospel is just as relevant to us now as it was when we first saw the light. We could not save ourselves and we cannot sanctify ourselves either.

Unbeliever, let nothing make you hesitate coming to Christ. There is none who is too sick for Christ to heal. “Everyone who believes in him will not be put to shame.”

The gospel is not about being saved and trying to be better, or being good enough for Christ to be willing to save you. “For while we were yet still sinners, Christ died for us.” All He requires of us is to feel our need of Him, and to believe His promises that He is able to save to the uttermost (completely; at all times). Do or do not, there is no try. You either believe in the finished and perfect work of Christ, or you do not.

May the Holy Spirit work in us to believe the amazing grace of the gospel in a deeper way! Praise God that nothing is expected of us except to see that we are great sinners that need a great Savior, who loved us before the foundation of the world! 

Meditation

     As a resident in a first world country, I am very blessed. As a resident in a first world country that finds its roots in Christianity and considers it as the primary religion, I am even more blessed. I live in an area where there are several Bible-teaching-and-believing churches with fifteen miles from me. I go to a school where we have Chapel once a week, and there are numerous Bible studies and worship gatherings throughout the week. I probably own more spiritual books than I will ever get to read in my lifetime. I am very thankful to have so many opportunities around me to hear God's word and to worship with His people.
     But, as a girl who likes to see the whole picture - the good and the bad, the dark and the light - I like to look at the downsides of having this easy availability of God's word and all the teaching that surrounds it. So, whether you like it or not, I'm going to dive in to the pitfalls of living in a Christian-based first world nation.
I am currently reading a book called, Christian on the Mount by Thomas Watson, and it deals primarily with meditation for the believer. I have been exploring this idea and finding it to be very fruitful. I know that many people may be skeptical about using the word "meditation", because it sounds like something only hyper-religious people or hippies would be doing. I once heard meditation as being defined as having a conversation with yourself about the goodness and glory of God. I could really identify with that, because I used to talk to myself quite often (and still do, I must admit). It really excited me that I could use my odd introverted habit to the glory of God and the good of my soul.
     Another definition of meditation that I like (and that Thomas Watson uses), is that of it being like digestion. God's word is the bread, and the preaching of it is us being fed. But how will it do us any good if we do not digest it? Could you imagine continually eating food, but never really digesting it? Your taste buds would be satisfied, and you might feel good for a little while, but eventually your body would start to become sick and hungry. You would have no nourishment to go off on, because you didn't take the opportunities that you were given and use them as they were intended in the best way possible.
     On page 66 of Christian on the Mount, Watson says, "Without meditation the truths that we know will never affect our hearts. Deuteronomy 6:6 says, 'These words which I command this day shall be in thine heart.' How can the Word be in the heart unless it is wrought in by meditation? as a hammer drives a nail to the head, so meditation drives a truth to the heart. It is not the taking in of food, but the stomach's digesting it that turns it into nourishment. Just so, it is not the taking in of a truth at the ear, but the meditation on it, that is the digestion of it in the mind, that makes it nourish."
     The book of James talks about us being doers of the word and not only hearers. (James 1:22-25). Meditation is the process by which action ensues. So many times do I hear a sermon, and forget it within 24 hours. Once you digest food, then it has the ability to be used for energy and activity.
     It is such a blessing to have the availability of the preaching of the Word and its resources, but I would caution against getting caught up in the activity of going to hear the Word, but never letting it seep into our hearts and change us for real. Meditation is not an easy thing to do. It typically has to be done by ones lonesome, and takes focus and concentration. But, take heart! You will not be disappointed. "Though while we are first entering upon meditation it may seem hard, yet once we are entered it is sweet and pleasant. Christ's yoke at the first putting on may seem heavy, but once it is on it becomes easy; it is not a yoke, but a crown...The poets say the top of Olympus was always quiet and serene. Just so, it is hard climbing up the rocky hill of meditation; but when we get to the top, there is a pleasant prospect, and we shall sometimes think ourselves even in heaven. By holy meditation the soul, as it were, has breakfast with God every morning." (pg. 75).
     May we press further in and further up, dear saints! May we reach the mount to find the oasis of God's beauty and glory and peace! Praise God that He condescends to meet us and give us hope and rest!

Storytime

     Stories are great. I love stories in any form - books, real life, movies - you name it. Of late I have become much more interested in "real life" stories, ones that you hear from "real" people about their experiences and discoveries. The LORD has been taking me through a "walk by faith, not by sight" tutorial this summer and a sub-point to that could be entitled, "walk by faith, not by feelings". I have felt as though I could not feel. Deep, I know. But seriously, I believe that every Christian goes through phases where no matter how hard you pound the Truth into your brain, you just don't feel it or it doesn't affect you emotionally. You know it's true, but you don't have an emotional reaction to it being true.
    So I've been pounding away at my brain God's promises to me that "I will never leave you nor forsake you", "All things work together for good to those that love God", "He has overcome the world", etc. etc. But no matter how much my brain knows that it's true, it doesn't affect my heart. I don't know what the effects of these truths look like in the life of a believer.
     Thus I have turned to stories, to real-life enactments of Biblical truths. The story I am about to tell you is a living out of the verse from Philippians: "And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus." (4:7). That sounds like some pretty powerful peace there. It's more than I can imagine, but what does it look like? I've felt overwhelming peace before, but what about seeing it in the lives of others?
     John Rogers was a preacher and Bible translator during the early 1500's. He was the first English protestant martyr under Queen Mary I ("Bloody Mary") of England. He was imprisoned for several years before finally being burnt at the stake after being unwilling to recant his faith.
     All martyr stories make an impression on me, but there was one detail of John Roger's story that stuck in my brain and made that verse from Philippians come to life.
     On the morning that John Rogers was to be burned at the stake, he was found fast asleep. So fast asleep that he had to be shook several times to be woken up. Foxe's book of martyrs says, "who [Rogers], being then sound asleep, could scarce be awakened. At length being raised and awakened..." It was only "at length" that he could be awakened.
     This is what peace that surpasses all understanding looks like. Such peace, that would keep a man fast asleep as he awaits a painful death, can only come from the Lord of heaven and earth.
     Stories encourage us and uplift us, they open our eyes to see and our hearts to feel when the bare Truth does not pierce us. Proverbs 30:5 says, "Every word of God proves true; He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him." Real life stories are the proof of God's Word. Each and every one of His promises will be fulfilled, and even though we may not be able to see them played out yet in our lives, we can see and hear the stories and testimonies of others. Praise God for the saints of old such as John Rogers that were used to give us such an excellent picture of God's Truth! May God use our lives for the same extraordinary purpose!  

Always a Student

Going on the Mission Trip to New Mexico/Texas/Mexico taught me a lot of things. One of the things I learned is that I will always be learning. Sanctification is a necessary part of the Christian life and Christ will continue to change us until we reach glory. I wrote down ten things to share with my church during the Sunday School hour this past Sunday, and I thought I would post them here for others to see. Note that I have not learned how to live out these truths in my life; I have only discovered their existence. Only by God's grace will I be able to apply them to my Christian walk. So, without further ado, here are the top ten things I learned over the past week or so.

1. I have learned that true missions consists of "ordinary" people being faithful to spread Christ's work in the "ordinary" spaces of their day-to-day lives.
2. I have learned what it means to bow as a little child before my heavenly Father, and to lovingly and fully place my trust in Him.
3. I have learned that you need no more than two minutes to share the Gospel with someone.
4. I have learned what it means to be alive because of Christ's work and the Holy Spirit living inside of me.
5. I have learned that spreading the Gospel is not a decisive premeditated act, but rather an uncontrollable outpouring of Christ's love which loved us first.
6. I have learned that we are not and not meant to be alone in the great race for missions, for Christ is with us always and His body of believers is spread across the world.
7. I have learned that the bond of being in the family of God is stronger than any other earthly bond.
8. I have learned what it feels like to be nourished by the Word of God, but to also feel an increasing hunger for its truth.
9. I have learned what it means to "let no one despise you for your youth, but set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity."
10. I have learned that God is greater than I thought, more powerful than I believed, and more loving than I hoped.

These truths I have either been exposed to for the first time, rediscovered, or seen in a different light. May God give you and I the grace and vigor to possess and live out these truths in our lives. All praise to the Great Teacher!

Spaces

     Space. The final frontier. Just kidding, that's not the kind of space I'm talking about. Using the first two definitions of "space" found on dictionary.com, the "space" I'm talking about is: "the portion or extent of a three-dimensional realm or expanse in which material objects are located and events occur in a given instance." 

Our lives are made up of different expansions of space. Another word you could use for them are "circles". Many of us have our family space, our work space, our significant other space, and so on and so forth. I would estimate that each person has at least twenty different spaces that fill up their lives. All of these spaces involve people to a certain degree. 

     Let me tell you a story about how space is identified in the arts. Once upon a time, I took a dance class. We learned about four concepts that were called Line, Effort, Space, and Shape. One of our assignments was to choreograph a piece using those four concepts. The "space" concept was illustrating how much space your body did or did not take up within a room. For example, rolling up into a tight ball would take up less space than when doing a jump of some sort. It also depended upon how much space you used in the room. 

     As sinful human beings, our natural tendency is to curl up into a tight ball and not use up much of our space that has been given to us. We do not engage with the people that surround us, and we keep to ourselves as much as possible. We have our own agenda and that is all that matters to us. 

     Christians are supposed to be the most joyful of all people, for we have a hope that cannot be shaken. Shall we not dance and jump and spread the gospel to every part of every space that we inhabit? 

     What about the spaces that seem less important, possibly because they are so small or because we occupy them for so short a time? I tend to react to these spaces in the wrong way by thinking that it's not really that important to engage people if you're only going to know them for a couple weeks or maybe only a couple minutes. But in dance, every space is just as important as the others. In just a few square feet, a dancer can do something truly remarkable. Trust me, I haven't done it, but I've seen it. 

     What if we don't like the space that we've been put in? God is the one that apportions out where we are to live and who we are to interact with at what point in our lives, and so every space you have been given is according to His purpose. The preaching from last night contained the scripture passage from the book of Luke that was about Jesus healing a demon-possessed man. After being healed, the man wanted to follow Jesus in His journey, but Jesus told him to go back to his home and "declare how much God has done for you." (Luke 8:39). It goes on to say that rather than complaining about not getting to follow Jesus and do the more exciting and uplifting work, the man obeyed Jesus and went proclaiming throughout the whole city the name of his Lord and Savior.

     We are to be content with what spaces God places in our lives, and we are to use those spaces to their full extent. Just like the dancer, we can use all of our energy to spread the name of Christ throughout every last inch that we've been given, and seize the opportunities that come our way to share the gospel. 

     Very few individuals get to travel across the globe and influence thousands of people, but most of us have at least a few spaces to spread Christ's glorious story of what He has done for us. Let us use all of our space. The little spaces of our day-to-day lives are the mission's frontier.

One Liners for All Time

     So. There's this song. I have no idea what it's called. I only know one line from it, one line that consists of three words. Why? Because I have a manager at work that likes to sing out that one line quite often. It's only on his word that I believe that these three words are actually part of a song. They are: "Hearts on fire!" I wish I could insert some sort of audio clip in here so you could hear it and share in my blessed agony that comes from hearing one line from a song in your head a bit too often. Alas, you will simply have to have faith as I did that these three words actually do come from a song and in reality do have tremendous relevance to what I am going to talk about today.
     I frequently am burdened for the souls of the youngsters in my church's youth group. I pray for them often, but I always find it difficult to talk to them about the gospel because they already know it all. They have been taught well by their parents, teachers, and pastors. Some of them probably know their Bibles better than I do. It's just part of being a part of a Bible-believing and Bible-following church since you were a wee babe. And don't get me wrong; growing up in the church is a very valuable blessing to possess. But sometimes it almost makes it difficult to distinguish between those who are believers and those who are not, especially among the teenagers.
     Several of these teenagers that I know who are not professing Christians live their lives very similarly to that of a believer. They can give all the right answers in Sunday School, they speak up to pray at the end of Bible Study, they read their Bible often, and try to be loving and serving to their friends and family. This leads me almost to believe that the Lord has done a work in their lives; that they have been saved. But yet, somehow I know that can't be true.
     What distinguishes a non-Christian from a Christian? Or also, what distinguishes a Christian from the rest of the world? There are plenty of nice people out there with good hearts and upright minds who are not true believers.
     As I was pondering this question, that one line burst into my head and I heard my manager singing, "Hearts on fire!" 
     That's it - that's the difference between the believer and the unbeliever. One of them has a heart on fire and the other one doesn't. Right. So what does that look like?
     Jeremiah 20:9 says, "If I say, 'I will not mention him [the LORD], or speak any more in his name,' there is in my heart as it were a burning fire shut up in my bones, and I am weary with holding it in, and I cannot." Christians cannot stop themselves from speaking about their Lord, for He is their all in all.
     This fire within a believer is one that can never be quenched, for it comes from the Holy Spirit: "'He [Jesus] will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.'" (Matthew 3:11b). Christians should be the most consistent of all people because they continually have the Holy Spirit burning inside of them.
     Another characteristic of fire is heat and warmth. Christians should be the most loving people, and those that love truly and with their whole heart, because they will love as Christ loved them.
     A use for fire discussed in the Bible was that of refinement and purging. Christians do not stay the same after they are saved, for God gives them a new heart and continues to sanctify them until they reach glory.
     True believers have "Hearts on fire!" because they have the Holy Spirit living inside of them, while unbelievers do not. This fire burns bright and powerful all their days. Let us pray as believers that we do not let the fire die down, but that the Lord would rekindle our flame. Our God is a consuming fire; let us be like him. Let the rest of the world see something different and uncanny about us, let them ask about the hope that is within us (1 Peter 3:15), and may we be burning to give a reason for it.
     I just want to quote from another song, one which I do know for a fact is a real song. I have listened to it a whole bunch in the last few weeks, and I just can't seem to get enough of it. It is of my own free will that it is stuck in my head, and not my enthusiastic manager's fault (of which I am now glad of). It is called "Build Your Kingdom Here" by Rend Collective Experiment. I've probably already posted about them before, but they're just so great that I can't help it. The lines from one of the verses are as follows: "Come, set our hearts ablaze with hope, like wildfire in our very souls. Holy Spirit come invade us now." This is my prayer for every believer. Let our hearts burn bright in this dark world.

Angelic Customer Service

This summer I have been working in a retail position in order to keep busy and earn money so I can continue going to school. I have never worked in retail before, so it is a new and enlightening experience. I honestly have never had a "real" job before, so I'm moving up in life. But really, I am enjoying it. I am learning lots of useful stuff about working and life and such.
One of the new experiences I have had with this job is just being around so many people - "the public" - for an extended period of time. I don't even know how many different people I encounter throughout the work day, but it's a lot. Really any customer service job will include this experience, but like I said, it's new for me. The only other time I have experienced this is in large public places, such as the airport or a theme park.
I don't get to spend very much time with these people either. I have never met them before, and yet I have to make conversation and provide good service. I would say the average amount of time I will spend with a customer up at the register is two minutes. How much impact can I really have?
At times my pondering mind is overwhelmed with the amount of stories and emotions that enter the store each day. I often wonder if any of these people are believers, and if I would ever know if they were or not. A verse came to mind the other day, from Hebrews 13:1-2, which says, "Let brotherly love continue. Do not neglect to show hospitality to strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares." I believe that this verse applies to all of life, not just in terms of hospitality. Could I have rung up an angel for their electric wine bottle opener at the register? That's a dizzying thought. Whew. But really, people entertained angels and even the Lord Jesus Christ in the Bible and did not know it. So crazy. I always think about angels in large public places, but now I think about it almost every day. This is why the writer of Hebrews says for brotherly love to continue, and for us to show hospitality (love and kindness) to strangers. Jesus commands us to "love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return...be merciful, even as your Father is merciful." (Luke 6:35-36).
Back to the stories and emotions that are a part of every person that comes in to the store each and every day. Usually you know what's going on with your friends and family, because you're closely involved with many parts of their life. You know when they're going through a hard time, and you're there beside them helping them through it. But with the people that you only encounter for two to five minutes, how much can you really help them? You have no idea where they've been, what they're going through, or how they're really feeling that day. But that's just the point. You have no idea. Doesn't that mean we should everyone with the same amount of kindness, no matter how they treat us?
There was a quote I saw on the internet a while back by J. M. Barrie (author of Peter Pan): "Always be a little kinder than necessary." That strikes me as something we should always be reminding ourselves. I don't think you can ever be too kind. That's not humanity's problem. We either think that this person doesn't deserve kindness or we are too busy or important to deal it out. As believers, we should be challenging ourselves to be kinder than we deem necessary, and to continue raising the bar. Romans 11:22 says, "Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness to you, provided you continue in His kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off." May God use His Holy Spirit to work in us the eyes to see the immense love and kindness of Christ towards us, and the hands to transfer that love and kindness to each and every person we encounter in our lives.
I challenge you to be enthusiastic and energetic in your "inconsequential" and "coincidental" relationships, those that you encounter in every day life. Be kinder than necessary; don't brush people off because you believe that you'll never see them again. Be the love and kindness of Christ to all people, whether it's the Mary Kay-caked customer at the register, your annoying younger brother, or the hungover waitress at a run-down diner - or an angel in disguise.

Weary Soul (Consider Him)

I finished a song. I have decided to put my songs that I finish on here, because I need to get them out there in some form or fashion. This song started originally from the cries of my heart, but then I realized that it went very well with the 3rd verse from Hebrews 12: "Consider Him who endured from sinners such hostility against himself, that you may not grow weary or fainthearted." Christ is our motivation to keep going through adversity. Hope you enjoy "Weary Soul (Consider Him)". 

Being pushed and pulled

Carried by the tide

The tide that's always so low, low, low

The stars don't seem so bright anymore

Two steps forward and three steps back

Reigning sin devouring faith

How long will it last?

Weary soul lay your head down to rest

Tired traveler, hand over your heavy burdens

To the Lamb that was slain

He was nailed to break your chains

Fainting heart dry your tears; it's all right

Restless soldier, stay the night

Your King has won the fight

And you were the prize

Let His reign begin

Weary soul, consider Him

Thieving thoughts invade your mind

And you lose your sense of what is right and what is wrong

But it's been going on for so long now

You feel the culprit can't be found

Drooping hands and shaking knees

Steady yourself on the mercy seat

You're worn out and you're jaded

Deciding on giving up

But He's not done with you yet

He was rejected, you were received

He was wounded, you were healed

Consider Him

Spelling Mishaps

     Have you ever had an entire conversation based upon something that someone said incorrectly, or something that you thought that they said? For instance, your brother says, "Remember that time we ate raw eggs?", and you hear, "Remember that time we ate frog legs?". Both would make for a very interesting conversation, but it turns one way because of what you thought he said rather than what he actually said. I have had this happen to me many times. Something similar happened this morning in Sunday school, only it wasn't someone talking, but rather writing.
     My dad teaches the adult Sunday school, and he was talking this morning about finding our identity in Christ, and he wrote the word "identity" on the white board. Actually he wrote the word "indentity" on the board, which actually isn't a word, but we all knew what he meant. Nobody spoke to alert him of his spelling error, and so the word stayed up there in bright green letters. As I continued to look at it, that got me thinking.
     For believers, that spelling of the word is really more appropriate. The world's message to finding your identity is to find it within yourself. "Find yourself" and "Be who you are" are common inspirational phrases that I have heard. Your identity is found in "I"dentity. You are the only person you can trust and you must believe in yourself in order to accomplish greatness.
     On the contrary, Christians do not find their identity in themselves but rather outside of themselves. You are who you are because of what you are in - the family of God, Christ's kingdom, the royal priesthood, holy nation. The Christian's identity is an "In"dentity. Colossians 3:3 says, "For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God." Our life is no longer our own, and our identity is no longer our own.
     My dad continued to talk about living as children of God - the believer's identity. It makes no sense to just say "I am a child." You cannot take any real pride or meaning in that because everyone is a child. But if you say, "I am a child of God.", that means something altogether more important and wonderful. To be God's child means everything for your life. What matters is not who you are (a child), but what you are in (Christ), and what you are a part of (His family).
     Praise be to God that as believers we know who we are, because Christ paid the ultimate price for us to be adopted as sons and daughters into His marvelous kingdom! Adopt more children into the family each and every day, Father!

Which Kingdom?

A couple of days ago I read this passage from 1 Corinthians 12, which talks about the church being one body with many members:
     "If one member suffers, all suffer together; if one member is honored, all rejoice together." (vs. 26)
     I remember thinking, "yeah that's true...or rather, it should be true." How many times do we see someone suffering, and we do not have empathy for them; how many times do we see someone being honored, and instead of rejoicing, we become jealous and bitter toward that person? Too many times to count has this been the case in my life. More often than not does the church fail to live as one body straining together towards the goal of the glory of God. More often than not do we continue to seek our own recognition, success, and comfort rather than that of others, or more importantly, of God. 
     I still remember from a youth retreat about five years ago a message that was given that discussed the dissonance between two kingdoms. The first kingdom was God's kingdom (the BIG kingdom), the kingdom that encompasses all other kingdoms and which the Lord will reign forever and ever (Revelation 11:15). The second kingdom was "our" kingdom ( the little kingdom), which we try to hold on to ever so tightly. It includes our sin, our self-will, our self-indulgence, and our self-love. 
     For a Christian, the dissonance between the two kingdoms happens when we do not want to loose our grasp on our wishes and embrace the will of God. Belonging to the little kingdom will leave you disappointed and destitute because you will never fulfill your desires through your own reasoning and you will be struggling against God the whole way through it. When you are willingly and lovingly a part of God's kingdom, he will fulfill your every need and desire, and bring Him glory and you good all the days of your life.
     I have an example from a worldly source (gasp) that I think fits rather well with this topic. It is from a TV show that I have been watching recently called "Merlin". It is a loose telling of the younger days of Merlin and King Arthur during the beginning of the great days of Camelot. Because magic is outlawed at the time, Merlin has to keep his magic secret from everyone even though he is Arthur's servant and has to save his life using magic many a time. Many other sorcerers have risen up against the king and have become enemies of the kingdom, seeking their own gain rather than the gain of the kingdom. Merlin, however, keeps his magic a secret in order to be able to protect Arthur and allow him to build the great kingdom that has been prophesied about for many years. Even though Merlin is the greatest sorcerer ever to walk the earth, he lives like a shadow for the cause of the kingdom. 
     It is not an easy thing to set aside our selfish desires and needs and take up our cross daily and follow Christ. But the special part is that we are following. Christ has already been where we're going. When we keep our eyes fixed upon Him, He will be the light that illuminates our life. We will see those who are suffering and we will suffer with them. We will rejoice when others are honored, because ultimately it is God who is glorified, and that is the only thing and that is everything that matters. May we continue to see more of the BIG kingdom and strive for its continuance, rather than be caught up with the petty tendrils of the little kingdom. 

Motifs

     I always really liked the word "motif", thus my use of it for the title of this post. It means, "a recurring subject, theme, idea, etc." It really can be anything, as long as it continues to reappear throughout the story.
     There is a hymn that I have been continually humming for quite some time now, especially the one line, "Redeeming love has been my theme, and shall be 'till I die". The hymn is entitled, "There is a fountain filled with blood" by William Cowper. "Theme" is a good word, but I almost like "motif" better, because it gives the idea of recurrence. Or maybe just because it sounds cooler. Nevertheless, this theme (motif)of redeeming love shall be the theme of every Christian until death. 
     I fully agree with the aforementioned statement, but I would also like to pose a question concerning it: Does not every Christian have their own motif that is particular to their walk with the Lord? The theme of redeeming love encompasses all Christians, but are there not individual themes that certain people relate to better than others? We are saved as a body, but we are also saved as individuals. 
     I was discussing something like this with a friend a while back, as she was telling me that God continues to show her just how much He loves her. He loves her despite her sin and failures, and He always gives her what is best for her. It was beautiful to hear her talk about it, because it was like she was starting to "get it". She was understanding a little bit of God's immense love for her, and it was exciting because she is one of those people who need to be loved and know they are loved. I would say that my friend most clearly understands the gospel through 1 John 4:10, "In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins."
     I do not necessarily see the gospel as clearly in that light. Yes, I know that God loves me more than anyone else could ever possibly love me, and that gives me great comfort. But it is not in the understanding of his love that I "get it". It is rather in the idea of freedom. Freedom from bondage to sin, from the slavery in darkness. Free to be the slave of Christ. As Tullian Tchividjian puts it, I am "free to be weak...free to lose...free to be no one...free to be ordinary...free to fail." One of my favorite verses is Galatians 5:1, which says: "For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery." 
     So, Christian, what is your motif? In what way do you discover the gospel? Figure out what your motif is, and exhaust yourself by continuing to dig deeper. Discover Christ in a more personal way, and then stretch yourself by hearing about the motifs of other believers. You won't be disappointed. 
     

Beginnings

          My mother (and many other mothers) always told me that breakfast was the most important meal of the day. Even though I like breakfast food, I never really put that truth into practice, especially as I got older. When you have to be at school at 8:25am and you wake up at 8am, breakfast was not on the list of top ten things to do before going to school. This viewpoint has carried over into my college life as well. Try as I might, there are those days when I don’t get breakfast, for one reason or another.

            Why is breakfast the most important meal of the day? Nutritionists (and I) would say it’s because it’s the first meal of the day. It gets you started, so that all the gears start turning and working at their best at 7am instead of 10am, when your body suddenly realizes it has no food to keep it going, and so it takes from other bodily resources. Not eating breakfast doesn't only affect your morning life, either. Studies have shown that those who do not eat a healthy and substantial breakfast are more likely to binge eat or eat unhealthier later in the day. I have seen this as true in my own life.

            All this is to say that beginnings are important. What kind of breakfast you eat or don’t eat in the morning determines how you’ll eat and function for the rest of the day. The pace you set at the beginning of a run determines how successfully you will complete it. In singing, I have learned that the way you start a phrase is the most important part in determining how you will finish it.

            I would like to take time to expound upon the musical example of this phenomenon. For those of you who are not singers, I am about to get rather technical, so bear with me.

            There are two things that are important when beginning a phrase of music, and they are interconnected. One is the firming of the glottis, or the vocal cords. The second is the breath flow. One cannot work without each other. The breath must flow in order for the cords to come together, but if the chords are not firm enough then the breath will not be used efficiently. As a singer, you must do both of these things simultaneously at the exact moment that the phrase begins. You must also use your brain to determine the correct pitch and thus correct firmness of your vocal cords. Sound hard? Yes, well that’s why professional singers spend about ten years in training and don’t start their career until they’re thirty years old.

            Anyways, the exciting part is that if you do this at least semi-correctly (which I have begun to do personally at times in my training), you will have a freedom and flexibility that you have never possessed with your voice before. You don’t ever worry about running out of breath, and each pitch is spot on and resonating for all it’s worth. The thing is that our bodies know how to sing, but it is our brains and their foul misconceptions that mess us up. We just have to set ourselves on the right course with the right start, and our bodies will take care of the rest. Granted, this is not the only element to singing, but I believe it plays a very big part. How we approach and start a phrase is key to the rest of the phrase.

            Now we get to the really good stuff: how this all applies to our spiritual lives. Now, I use that phrase “spiritual lives” like it’s something separate; let me remind you that it most certainly is not. Everything is interconnected. Therefore, hopefully you have already made the spiritual connection to what I have just said, but in case you haven’t, let me make it for you.

            Christ is our Rock, our firm foundation. On him we must rest upon for everything. He is not something or someone that we come to only in times of trouble or times of happiness; rather, He is the bread we must feed upon daily. Just like breakfast, He is the most important and only meal that we should eat each and every day. Therefore, it is important that we spend time with Him at the beginning of every day. It gives us the right focus, energy, and motivation for the rest of our day. Just like leaning upon the vocal cords, we will experience such freedom and flexibility as never felt before. There is no substitute for Jesus Christ. For the vocal process to work there must be a leaning sensation. The breath must press against the cords. My voice teacher used to say that “Those who give up their breath for the sake of the phrase will find it, but those who hold onto their breath will lose it.” – essentially a witty restatement of Matthew 16:25. Singers must lean their breath fully upon their cords and trust that the cords will carry them where they need to go. Likewise, we must fully rest upon Christ and His work on the cross, although how much more reliable of a foundation is he?! How much more can we trust him with our lives, seeing that He has given His up in order to save us?

            Romans 5:6-8 says, “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

            Praise God that He is in control of our lives, and will carry us where we need to go, if we would only trust Him. May we be more trusting of the Lamb that was slain in our stead, and be faithful to hand over our lives to Him at the beginning of each and every day.

Church on Fire

I had the immense privilege of attending the Passion Conference in the Georgia Dome a few days ago. I could create multitudes of posts about everything that I learned, heard, witnessed, and experienced. However, I am going to create one post expounding upon a revelation I received while participating in a very notable experience.
First I must describe the experience. For those of you who don't know, Passion revolves mostly around the theme of slavery, or human trafficking. This experience was a way for American college students to show the world that they want to be involved in the abolition of slavery. Each of the 65,000 students at the conference received an ordinary white candle, no longer than 6 inches long and maybe 1/2 inch in width. We all proceeded in silence out to the Dome Plaza, and stood in silence until someone began to hum a hymn or two. We waited in the darkness and cold, until suddenly there was some commotion coming from the center of the mass of people. A light had emerged, the first candle had been lit. The flame was then passed from candle to candle, person to person, until it reached the last candle on the outer edge.
An enormous light also was turned on that stretched three miles into the night sky.
All of us then let out a yell, a scream, a cheer, a chant - whatever noise we could make. We were shouting for the end of slavery, to make the voices of the oppressed heard. We continued to shout for several more minutes. Helicopters with cameras whizzed by us, wanting to capture this moment forever.
I will remember this moment forever. It is the clearest picture of God's church that I have ever been given.
One light must start in all. Then it is our responsibility to pass it on to others. We do not have the ability to give it to those who are several hundred feet from us, but rather to those who surround us. We were placed in a certain spot in order to give the light to those who were near us.
The purpose of the flame was not just to give light. It gives warmth. It awakened our bodies for a time from the cold. The power of the fire invigorated us and gave us life. It gave us energy to proclaim our message to the world.
And also, my favorite part: we received a flame in order that we might revive those around us whose flame has gone out. There was one guy next to me whose flame kept going out because of the cold wind, and had to keep asking me to relight his candle. I did not get irritated by how many times I had to do it, but rather rejoiced that I was able to relight his since mine had not gone out. I might even go so far as to say that my flame grew stronger from lighting the candles of others.
While I was trying to protect my flame from the wind, I realized how hard it was going to be to get through the night without the help of those around me. I had to have my flame revived at least once.
Processing all of this in my mind, I had tears in my eyes. Seeing a visual representation of the importance of community made so much sense. And the astonishing fact is this: no one cared or knew that my candle went out except for the few around me. No one cared or knew that I lit that guy's candle over ten times. No one cared that I was the 34, 789th candle to be lit.
But what people did care about is this: that there were 65,000 candles lit that night, protesting slavery and proclaiming the name of the God who has the power to defeat it.
Matthew 5:14 is so much more real to me now: "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden." No one could ignore our presence at the Dome that night.
Isaiah 49:6 also sheds light (heh heh) on this subject: "It is too light a thing that you should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob and to bring back the preserved of Israel; I will make you as a light for the nations, that my salvation may reach to the ends of the earth."
The church is the light among the darkness of the world. Jesus Christ is the originator of that light. We are to spread that light to the ends of the earth, and to revive those whose light has gone out. May the church be a church on fire because of you, Lord Jesus!