life lately (in songs & scripture)

"If shame had a face I think it would kind of look like mine. If it had a home would it be here in my eyes. Would you believe me if I said I'm tired of this. Well here we go now one more time... You better believe that I'm trying to beat this...So when will this end, it goes on and on, over and over and over again, Keep spinning around I know that this won't stop, Till I step down from this for good." *

"You were as I, tempted and tried, human." *

"I hear the Savior say, "Thy strength indeed is small; Child of weakness watch and pray, Find in me thine all in all." *

"You are my strength when I am weak...Taking my sin, my cross, my shame, Rising again I bless Your name, You are my all in all, When I fall down You pick me up." *

"When we feel there's no hope, You are. When we forget You're near, You are. When we chase the created, trading truth for a lie, You patiently proved Your worth unchanged, unchanged." * *

"You saved me, though not by what I've done... You are Jesus the Christ, my hope for life...I don't deserve this, no I never could have earned this." * *

"You give me joy that's unspeakable." *



I kinda wanted to leave this post as is. No explanation. But alas, I can't let it be without at least a brief explanation. These are only a line or two from songs (the whole songs are worth looking at, hence the links) that pretty much sum up my life/ thoughts in the past week, not even quite a week. You could say it's been quite a week.

Even Jesus was tempted. Luke 4:1-13. So many verses to go along with all these. Here are just a few that I've been reflecting on: Romans 8:1-17, Galatians 5:16-26 , Colossians 3:1-10. I've been living in Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, and Colossians.

How He Loves

I think this will actually be the third time mentioning this song, How He Loves. Once, twice, and now.

How He Loves

He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us oh
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

He is jealous for me, Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden, I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.

And oh, how He loves us oh,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all

He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

And we are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If His grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
And heaven meets earth like an unforeseen kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…

That He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

Yeah, He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.

There is apparently controversy over this song. Maybe not controversy. That seems like to heavy a word for it. Maybe disagreements would be more apt.

One disagreement being about a particular line in the song. "Heaven meets earth like..." The original words by John Mark McMillan are, "a sloppy wet kiss." David Crowder, who helped to make the song as well known as it is today, changed the line to, "an unforeseen kiss." Then there are still others who substitute, "no words can express." Which is right? Which is wrong? Can any of them be considered wrong? They are all being sung in praise to God. I don't personally see any of them as being defaming to the character of God. This isn't what I wanted to talk about though.

My friend, Jessica, said some people find the song self centered. Singing about ourselves, and how God loves us. Instead we should be singing about God's greatness and our love for God. This song to them is selfish. I disagree. Though I understand where that opinion is coming from I think it's about how you interpret the song. Yes, it is singing about how He loves us but the song isn't necessarily about us. "He loves us. Oh how he loves us." How he loves us. He loved us enough to send Jesus to die on a cross for our sins. To take our sins upon Himself, to take our punishment, to take our place, to save us. How he loves us. He loves us a heck of a lot. He loves us with a love that we don't deserve. We fail Him continually and He still loves us. Oh how He loves us. I don't see the song pointing to us but to everything Christ did. Yes, He did it all for us but it's not about us. It's about Him. Also, if He loves us that much, how much more should we love Him?

I see where that other opinion may be coming from. I don't know if I even got my point out in how it's not a song centered on us. It's about a love that is greater than we can imagine, greater than we deserve. A love we should thank God for everyday.

Life is changing,

and it's a good thing.

These are just a few among many:

James 5:16 "Therefore confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective."

Galatians 5:16, 24-25 "So I say, live by the Spirit and you will not gratify the desires of the sinful nature...Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step by the Spirit."

Ephesians 1: 7-8 "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace that he lavished on us with all wisdom and understanding."

Ephesians 4:22-24 "You were taught, with regard to your former way of life, to put off your old self, which is being corrupted by its deceitful desires; to be made new in the attitude of your minds; and to put on the new self, created to be like God in true righteousness and holiness."

Romans 8:1-17

One Pure and Holy Passion

let this song be my prayer:

Give me one pure and holy passion
Give me one magnificent obsession
Give me one glorious ambition for my life
To know and follow hard after you

To know and follow hard after you
and to grow as your disciple in your truth
This world is empty, pale, and poor
Compared to knowing you my Lord
Lead me on and I will run after You
Lead me on and I will run after You

Your Grace Is Enough

Your grace is enough. Or is it?

Great is Your faithfulness oh God
You wrestle with the sinner's heart
You lead us by still waters in to mercy
And nothing can keep us apart

So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember Your promise
Oh God

Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me

Great is Your love and justice God
You use the weak to lead the strong
You lead us in the song of Your salvation
And all Your people sing along

So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember Your promise
Oh God

Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me [x2]

So remember Your people
Remember Your children
Remember Your promise
Oh God

Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough
Your grace is enough for me

Your grace is enough
Heaven reaching down to us
Your grace is enough for me
God I see your grace is enough
I'm covered in your love
Your grace is enough for me
For me

We sing "Your grace is enough, Your grace is enough for me," but we don't act like it really is enough. We still chase after other things. We still continually give in to the same temptations to satisfy our longings and desires instead of being content with the grace, the undeserved grace, God gives us. But we shouldn't be content with the grace. We should be overjoyed by the grace God gives us. We deserve Hell. God's grace gives us forgiveness. God's grace gives us salvation. God's grace gives us Heaven. God's grace is enough for me.