I had the great opportunity to go to a concert last night. This has many different meanings to me. First of all, it was my teenage daughters who made our going happen ;-) Surprisingly, too because essentially it was an 'old folks' concert (at least from the stand point of most of their friends). However they didn't care! They have grown up on Steven Curtis Chapman music and now with his sons music! Anyway, it was also a chance to go back to a place that we love dearly and served for many years. Also, we were one of those couples that used one of his songs in our wedding 22 years ago. So many wonderful memories represented and then the chance to make some more.
Then, once again SCC presented a concert that glorified the Lord and as usual he is so open and real. What a blessing! I love it when someone is willing to step out and share life and he has certainly done that all through the years, plus the two artists he brought with him did the same. What wonderful testimonies by Jason Gray and Laura Story! I have several of their songs but will get even more now! Just sharing in case you need some new music ;)
I wish I could have gotten the entire quote last night, but Jason Gray said a couple things that really resonated with me. So this thought is from him, loosely...our wounds do not have to become scars, hardened and tough, but instead can be healed by God in such a way that they can be used to minister to others. Profound. Isn't a scar often something we try to hide, something even to be ashamed of at times, or at the very least something that makes us feel self-conscious?
He also said, 'Nothing's wasted!' Apparently God wants me to get this. Recently I read a blog in which a wonderful lady shared the thought of the falling leaves, and how even the leaves that are on the ground serve a purpose. Again nothing is wasted. Well, nothing is wasted when we allow God to use it for His glory...which both of these people went on to say.
Do you have any idea how encouraging it is to others when we make our selves vulnerable before them and share life? Don't we all desire connection and relationship? Even if we tend to run from it, or stay too busy to have it, the need is still there deep with in. We were made for relationship! It's how our Father in Heaven wired us! Thank You, Jesus for making this relationship with the Father possible. Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me" John 14:6.
Do you see how important relationship is to God? He sent His Son to bridge the distance between Himself and us so that we can have relationship with Him for eternity.
How is your relationship with God the Father? Do you have one? If you do, is He the priority of Your life? Are you willing to be used by Him for His glory? What are you passionate about? Is your relationship with Jesus close? Or would you say it is distant? He is still there, He didn't leave. He won't, He can't. Ask Him to 'restore the joy of your salvation,' Psalm 51:12. He will! It starts with the asking and the confessing. Read Psalm 51 and make it a prayer to God. There is nothing better in this life than being in right relationship with God! Nothing! Use His Word to pray. It is the truth and it is alive.
Lastly, Laura Story, has a song and one of the lines of the chorus is, "Be my God so I can just be me!" Wow! I do not know about you, but I have spent a lifetime trying to be someone other than myself. I mean, I thought that to be godly I needed to change, to please others, to think of others first, to deny myself, etc... Oh, how we have taken His Word out of context! I have. I lost myself in trying to be what I thought others wanted me to be. When I write it down it seems ridiculous, but it is so true. I have worn myself out trying to do, do, do and trying to be who I was not created to be. I think there are a bunch of us out there...why? Because I have talked with many of you over the years.
Are we willing to trust God and be who He created us to be? After all, it tells us in Psalm 139:13-14 that it was He who "created my inward parts; He knit me together in my mother's womb." He says, "I will praise You because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made." But wait, the rest of verse 14, tells us, "Your works are wonderful and I know this very well." What??? Back up! It says to praise Him because His works are wonderful and He is talking about me, about you. NUH UH! I mean, I have spent a lifetime trying to change something that He made remarkable and wonderful! I thought this would be prideful to think highly of myself. Now I am not talking about becoming full of myself and my importance. I am talking about recognizing my worth to my Creator. I mean He is the 'Potter and I am the clay" Isaiah 64:8. He is forming me how He wants me to be and to continue to deny that I am special to Him, hurts Him and disrespects Who He is as my Creator. Finally, I see it...I am beginning to KNOW it. He has had a hard job trying to mold me, no doubt. I have been non-pliable and so convinced deep within that I am the exception, that He couldn't possibly mean all that He says, for me. What a slap in His face. Father, forgive me. He gave His Son for me, for you! I'd say that alone makes us valuable!
Do you see your worth to Him? We have nothing to bring to Him but baggage, brokenness and sin. He didn't have to make a way for us to have relationship with Him! But He did because He loves us! He loves us! You and me! He created us for relationship with Him! He wants to be with me for all eternity, with you! Finally, I want to let Him, 'Be my God, so I can just be me! To trust Him to not allow anything I am or anything I have experienced be wasted but to be used for His glory! We all have scars, we all have issues, we will have more before it's all said and done. Are we willing to make Him the most important person in our lives? Are we willing to surrender and quit trying so hard? Oh, I want to be!
Father God, thank You for knowing what You were doing when You created me! That I am valuable because You say I am, because You made me, period! I cannot do anything to be more valuable to You or less valuable. Forgive me for being so full of mixed up pride (low self-esteem) that I threw the very gift of life back into Your face over and over again. Thank You for Your Faithfulness, for Your Mercy, Your Grace, Your Love, Your...well, just You! You are amazing and I am Yours!!! Please God have Your Way in me. Help me to trust You fully, moment by moment. Thank You for never giving up on me, for continuing to mold me even when I fought back hard. Thank You that nothing is wasted because You have been at work the whole time and You have a plan and that plan is good.
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