Tag: Love
National Day of Prayer
Today in the United States we observe the National Day of Prayer. It’s a time to remember our nation and lift it up before the Lord in humility and solemnity.
It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see the headlines and know our country needs prayer. We need it bad. I hope we will take this opportunity to first confess our own sins, and repent, that is, turn around and go in the direction of Christ in every area of our lives.
To follow Him, to “love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind” and then to show we do as we “love your neighbor as yourself.” Luke 10:27
Will anything change until we do?
If our country is to be illuminated with Christ’s love and truth, if we desire to live in peace and dignity, we must pray for it, and then live it.
Heavenly Father, praise your Holy Name. Please forgive me for my sin of pride and letting fear sometimes dictate my way. Fill me anew with your Spirit and a fresh vision and passion to follow you, to consume your Word as my spiritual food, and allow your purposes to be accomplished in and through me. I pray for revival throughout our country including those in our leadership at every level. May your Spirit sweep over our land once again, opening the eyes of those who have been blinded, gifting untold numbers with faith to believe in you, to receive you, and to be transformed by your Holy Spirit. May we be overcome with your love and goodness that leads us to repentance. Thank you in advance for what you’re going to do. You are the faithful One, the Good Shepherd, the One full of grace and mercy. May you be glorified and magnified. In the Name of Jesus, the Christ, our Messiah and Redeemer, amen.
God bless you,
Saturday Song – Lift Your Head Weary Sinner
Jesus continued: “There was a man who had two sons. The younger one said to his father, ‘Father, give me my share of the estate.’ So he divided his property between them.
“Not long after that, the younger son got together all he had, set off for a distant country and there squandered his wealth in wild living.
After he had spent everything, there was a severe famine in that whole country, and he began to be in need. So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything.
“When he came to his senses, he said, ‘How many of my father’s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants.’
So he got up and went to his father. “But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him.
Luke 15:1-20
Maybe you’ve somehow stumbled onto this page, and you’re lost. You’re searching. You know you need God but you’re afraid. Afraid He won’t take you. Afraid of what you’ve done. Afraid you’re too far gone.
My friend, I promise you, God promises you, you are not too far gone.
Maybe you knew Christ at one point a long time ago. Maybe it was just last week. But you’ve done something, and you can’t face Him. You’re afraid, too. Surely He’ll punish you, you think. Surely He’s ashamed of you, disappointed in you. You can’t go back.
My friend, you can.
Whoever you are, whatever you’ve done, get this –
God loves you.
And He is willing at this very moment to forgive you and receive you.
Come to Him, no matter what you’ve done. Come to Him with your sin; come to Him with your wretchedness, your weakness, your guilt. Come to Him, like the prodigal child.
He is there, waiting with His arms open wide to receive you right here, right now, to forgive you, to love you, to welcome you back with no reservation. With no condemnation.
That is how great He is, how great His love and mercy and forgiveness. Whatever it is, it’s all been paid for on the cross.
Just come. And let the chains fall.
If you need prayer, I would be honored to pray for you. Simply email me by clicking on the envelope to the far right of the Facebook icon to the right.
May you bask in the glory of the Risen One, the One Who paid it all.
Saturday Song – How Can It Be
This song was on my heart today. Even being a Christian for as long as I have, and maybe even the longer I know Christ, the more I’m aware of the blood on my hands…in my heart. I see my sin in the light of His holiness, and I know I’m not worthy. I’m not worthy to stand, let alone worthy of His love and forgiveness.
There is still a dark corner of my heart that holds onto the guilt and unworthiness and keeps me bound to chains instead of living fully in the freedom of the life He gives.
But love is not about being worthy.
If I was worthy I wouldn’t need Him, and the cross, unnecessary.
No one is worthy, and yet we are all loved.
Love is who He is.
That’s how it can be.
Sunday Praise – Psalm 150:6
Lord, please remind us throughout the week that we are here for your good pleasure, and that nothing can separate us from your love. Please give us the strength and courage to live for your glory. In Jesus’ name, amen.
Saturday Song – Your Love is a Song
As I thought about a song to post for today, immediately Switchfoot’s Your Love is a Song came to mind. It’s one of those songs with a hauntingly beautiful melody and equally mysterious lyrics. I went hunting for its meaning and lo and behold, found the thoughts of lead singer and writer of the song, Jon Foreman.
“For me, melody is a constant. I am always buzzing with some hook or rhythm or idea… (for example, I’ve got an idea in my head now from when I went surfing a few hours ago).
Sometimes I imagine the entire universe as a song, or an incredibly elaborate symphony- the sun is setting, there’s a kid staring at the evening train going by. People are falling in love. Fathers are apologizing to their sons after years of unspoken silence. Children are looking for the approval that only a mother can give.
I think of life as an interwoven and interconnected masterpiece. It’s like Lauren Hill and Kierkegaard say- everything effects everything.
Alongside these beautiful, pure notes there are elements of horrific dissonance. Parts of the symphony where the musicians are not following the score. To our shame, ours is a world of slavery, bigotry, and hate. Of Rwanda. Of Darfur. These atonal catastrophes on our Darkwater Planet would destroy the song if they could.
But love is a stronger song. Alongside the dissonance there is hope. There is forgiveness and joy singing alongside of hatred and despair. The song is still being written. Every day we choose whether we will submit to the score to sing along with love.
When I found out about the string theory it made a lot of sense. I pictured all the universe vibrating. Some instruments are out of tune. Some are not following the conductor. But love conquers a multitude of errors. Your love can cover even the atrocities that I’ve committed in my own life, even the times when my actions are horribly out of tune. Yes, even these have been mercifully forgiven and brought into the song.
There are reoccurring themes in my life. Because I write about the things I’m wrestling, these themes often find themselves in multiple songs. I used fight against this concept. Now I see these songs as interconnected, sequels in a real life documentary. One idea that I’m continually wresting with is the concept that the creator of heavens and earth would love a wreck like myself. This idea has been the seed for a few of my songs, they are a trilogy of sorts: ‘Let Your Love Be Strong,’ ‘Your Love is Strong,’ and ‘Your Love is a Song.'” ~Jon Forman
“By day the Lord directs His love, at night His song is with me- a prayer to the God of my life.” Psalm 42:8
He is right. Love is woven throughout the history of the world, and it will not be overcome by evil. Love rises, love overcomes, love endures.
Love is offered to all in the form of the Son of God – Jesus Christ – and it’s up to each of us whether we will receive Him Who is love, or not.
Even if we’ve received Him and been transformed, we have a daily, hourly choice whether to hide His love with our fears, angers, and insecurities, or allow His love in us to rise to the surface and shine through our heartaches and trials. To let the rest of the world see that love is still alive, and with it hope and joy and peace.
When we do our life joins with the song of the ages – the love of God weaving all things together into a melody made beautiful in His time.
The Day God’s Word Saved Me from Myself…Again
“For the Word of God is alive and active. ” Hebrews 4:12
It was a Thursday morning and I was in the middle of work when the phone rang. It was my sister calling out of the blue. Our mother’s health had suddenly deteriorated and my sister wanted to know if I wanted to go see her. I hadn’t talked to my mother in years.
Well, there was a brief and difficult conversation we’d had several months before. The Holy Spirit had nudged me a number of times over the course of a couple of weeks to call my mother. What if she didn’t want to hear from me? What if she didn’t know who I was? He kept nudging so I gathered up the courage one day and called her. She knew who I was but didn’t understand everything I was saying. I was able to tell her I loved her, and she told me she loved me, too. That was basically the extent of the conversation. But God knew I needed to both say it and hear it, and so did she.
I told my sister I’d think about it for a few minutes and call her back.
I grabbed my Bible, walked away from my desk, sat down, and prayed.
What if she didn’t want to see me? What about work? What about the appointment I have scheduled this afternoon? And what about all those vacant years of not having her there, of not having a mother? Do I go see her after all that?
I opened my Bible, to what I didn’t know. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular. I didn’t have time and my thoughts were swirling. I just wanted to hear from the Lord. The pages fell and I started reading. One column…and another…and another. I looked up, asking the Lord again, “What do I do?”
And suddenly it came to me – this is not about me. This is about her. All she had in the world, besides the nurses and other residents, was my sister and me. If I were dying I’d want my sons there, and I knew our mother would want both of us there, too.
I called my sister back and we went. I sat with my mother for hours as we looked each other in the eyes in a way we never had. Because of Jesus, I was now able to look at her through eyes of grace. Her words were harder to understand now, but I smiled at her and she smiled back. We hugged goodbye and again said “I love you.”
I was able to visit her a few more times in the month after that. The communication became less and less until that last time when she couldn’t open her eyes or speak at all.
They say the hearing is the last thing to go.
I’m thankful that one of the last things she heard were her two daughters, talking and reminiscing and laughing. I pray that brought her joy.
I know I wouldn’t have gone to see my mother had I not taken the time to sit with Jesus and read His Word. There was nothing specific in my Bible reading that morning that had to do with what He ministered to my heart – that the visit was not about me, but about being there for my mother. Still, reading it somehow opened a conduit for me to hear what He wanted to say to me. I don’t fully understand it, but His Word really is active and alive.
My mother died exactly one month to the day after that first call from my sister. Because I prayed and opened His Word, God gave me the gift of one month of good memories with my mother. I know they were good memories for her, too, and she deserved that.
We don’t have much time these days. We’re all so busy that finding quiet time seems impossible, and it may seem like there’s just not enough time to read. The thing is, we don’t have time not to read God’s living Word.
Reading His Word is not just about reading another book. As Christians, it is our breath, our life. It is the primary way God’s chosen to let us hear His heart beating and to hear His whispers of love and wisdom. With it He will give us answers to questions that come out of the blue, and make sure we don’t miss something wonderful. He will make us a light shining for a dark world, and for someone whose days are dimming.
He will reveal Himself, come near, and our hearts will beat as one.
A Time for Prayer, Salt, and Light
There seem to be no words sufficient on a day like today in America, or on any given day in so many places in the world. So I turn to God’s Word to find His wisdom and grace.
“This is what the Lord says: ‘These are the ones I look on with favor: those who are humble and contrite in spirit, and who tremble at my word.’” Isaiah 66:2 NIV
“Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:16 NIV
Let us remember that we are all guilty of sin, and without the grace of God through the atonement of His Son, we would be deserving of the death He took in our place.
With that in mind, with humble and contrite spirits, and being one in heart and mind, let us join together in prayer before our gracious God, first in repentance of our own sin, and then seeking forgiveness on behalf of our nation.
And may we rise up as salt and light, revealing to the world the Father’s great love and mercy, praying that many hearts would turn to Him and we would see a fresh revival of His Spirit throughout our own country and the world.
“Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, ‘Peace and safety,’ destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape.
But you, brothers and sisters, are not in darkness so that this day should surprise you like a thief. You are all children of the light and children of the day. We do not belong to the night or to the darkness. So then, let us not be like others, who are asleep, but let us be awake and sober. For those who sleep, sleep at night, and those who get drunk, get drunk at night.
But since we belong to the day, let us be sober, putting on faith and love as a breastplate, and the hope of salvation as a helmet. For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with Him. Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.” 1 Thessalonians 5:1-11 NIV
Sunday Praise – Good Good Father
Happy Father’s Day! I wanted to share a song with you today, singing praises to the best Father anyone can have, our perfect Heavenly Father, whose love and grace know no bounds. May you know His goodness today.
“May our Lord Jesus Christ himself and God our Father, who loved us and by His grace gave us eternal encouragement and good hope, encourage your hearts and strengthen you in every good deed and word.” 2 Thessalonians 2:16-17