2 Oct 2015

31 Days: The God Who Listens

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The God Who Listens

If I’m honest, sometimes I tune out the constant chatter of my boys.  Either I’m trying to concentrate on driving through the city of Atlanta with getting us injured, or trying to follow a recipe, or I can’t understand what they are saying anyway.

I’m so glad to know that God never tunes out our humble repentant, constant, loud (or whispered), silent prayers to Him.  His ears are always open.

The other night while putting our three year old to bed I was reminded again of how God – the Almighty Creator – listens and attends our prayers.  The little was still wired and it was already past his bedtime.  He wasn’t wanting to read and get settled in for the night.  I finally just put him in bed and said let’s pray.  I took his little hand and started to pray aloud even in my rushed and impatient state.  About three sentences into the prayer of help and patience and need, my soul was quieted and my son was more still.

I can imagine the psalmist David praying this psalm aloud – maybe on his knees, maybe saying it all out the window as Nathan stood with him, or maybe it was after Nathan had left that he laid on his bed and cried these words to the God he knew so well.  I can also imagine him experiencing the quick answer and favor of the Lord – the restoration and joy that he so deeply desires later in the psalm.

God listens to a repentant heart.  He is not one to continue to play spiteful games when his children have requests the pure joy of his presence again.  He doesn’t hold us at arms length when we seek restoration.

And for me, as a daughter of the King, that is so reassuring that he bids me come and also it helps me see my sin when I don’t readily respond to my husband and children when they seek restoration.

I often still hold contempt or make them work for my community again.  I need to remember the sweet mercy of God – how he attends my prayers.  I need to love to see that in my own life and relationships.

Other reads: 1 John 5:14, Psalm 66.19-20, Hebrews 4.15-16

 

1 Oct 2015

31 Days: The God Who Is

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31 Days of Adoration

Its always a struggle for me to think of one topic that I want to write about for 31 days – that I also think will be a benefit to others.  I mean, I could talk about how I love my mister and our two sons, I could tell you 31 things to do in ATL with children (you get the drift) – but those are very specific topics.  I usually like to choose something that will be both edifying to me as I write each day and edifying to the reader.

The past two times I’ve read through Psalm 51 I’ve written down all the characteristics that the psalmist David says about God – the God who forgives him of his great and infamous sin with Bathsheba.  Most people today think of that chapter in the Bible as a how-to for repentance or asking forgiveness.  It is that.  But, I don’t think it has that one idea as its main theme.  I think its main theme is the God who does the forgiving.

So, I’ve read through and written down 31 characteristics that the Bible (God, the author) tells us about Himself in those 19 verses.  I hope you will join along on my journey.

24 Oct 2014

31 Hymns: The Authority of Christ

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The Authority of Christ

Since I’ve been doing old school hymns, thought I would switch it up today.  One of the ways I care for my soul is by listening to Sojourn’s Songs from the Book of Luke CD (and really any of their music).  This particular hymn is written by a friend of the Mister’s who is at a church in Nashville – always gospel stuff from him.

This first song on the aforementioned album is stellar.  I love it and sing it at the top of my lungs (in the car) when I hear it.

Oh that we might live with the same understanding and practice of the authority of Christ in our lives:

And because of this song – I love the person of Simeon – wow – what privilege (just a side note)

 

22 Oct 2014

31 Hymns: When I Survey the Wondrous Cross

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When I Survey

This is bar far one of my husband’s favorite hymns. It tells a story of his conversion and his growing in Christ while in high school.  I love hearing him tell how Christ saved him.

And one of the stanzas coincides nicely with a Pauline theme that was found in Philippians 3 this morning in our small group study of it at church.  Always love how God gets your attention over and over again.  He is ever gracious and patient with us (as I also was reminded of again in my reading in 2 Peter via She Reads Truth.)

He is good to remind us of our need and gift of the Gospel.

 

20 Oct 2014

31 Days of Hymns: For the Beauty of the Earth

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For the Beauty of the Earth

I took a little break in Little Rock, unplugged except for my phone, and didn’t have time to pre-write all the hymn blogs before I left – we had a lot of celebrating going on!

One of the reasons I love this hymn is because of the movie Little Women.  You know the scene where they are all dancing around the canopy at the wedding – singing this song.  Then my Mister includes it on his cd and I love that version too.

So, the reason I include it in this month is because I love FALL (really, who doesn’t?).  I love the crisp weather, all the fun stuff you can do in the kitchen, and football, birthdays, our anniversary, and the colors!

When I read one of the stanzas, I’m also reminded of how much we live by our calendars and our phones – instead of just putting everything down and running through leaves.  Most of us don’t tend to be “lazy” we tend to be too busy.  But then we are too busy with the least important things.  I’m guilty of this too.

But, if we can just take more minutes of our days to play in the earth that God gave us!

15 Oct 2014

31 Hymns: Holy, Holy, Holy

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Holy Holy Holy

I feel like I’ve come to one of the most popular hymns in any given hymnbook.  Since this song doesn’t explicitly mention the Gospel through Jesus Christ and His Work on the Cross – any “believing” person could sing this song – even if they weren’t necessarily a Gospel-believing Christian.

What I love about this hymn is that is marvels at the Creator God, infinite, wise beyond all measure – perfect in everything – yet, one who wills us and bids us and welcomes us to worship him.  Worship him in a way that the created angels don’t.  Worship him in front of other people.  Worship him in front of non-believers.

And if we get a glimpse of this God – this all-consuming God who desires us to know Him – than we will also be introduced to His amazing Song.  Or even vice-versa!  The Father and the Son are one!

 

14 Oct 2014

31 Hymns: Fairest Lord Jesus

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Fairest Lord Jesus

I love reflecting on our wedding day!  We just celebrated 3 years last week so it is always good to think about the actual wedding ceremony.

One of my husband’s groomsmen is an exceptional guitarist.  I asked him if he would play my bridal march because I wanted something simple and acoustic.  I told him I wanted Fairest Lord Jesus played as I walked down the aisle.  He arranged an amazing version and I love the song even more now.

We sang this hymn yesterday in church.  As my husband and I were talking about it, he pointed out verse 2 and the abrupt change in the lyrics.  The hymnwriter begins focusing on creation – but then does an about face to talk about Jesus.

The Agent of Creation!

When I was walking down the aisle, a dream every woman has…I knew every eye would be on me.  But, no matter how my hair or dress or boots looked that day – my Bridegroom is much fairer.

Thanks Craig for helping others see that!

13 Oct 2014

31 Days of Hymns: In Christ Alone

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In Christ Alone

I do believe this modern hymn is one of the clearest pictures of the Gospel, EVER.

But how often to do we want to think about the suffering that the line afforded: here in the death of Christ I live.

Paul says in Philippians 3 that he wants to share in his sufferings – grow in them, pursue them, be like Christ so that he does suffer.

We don’t like suffering.  But, without suffering we have no life.

 

 

10 Oct 2014

31 Days of Hymns: My Song is Love Unknown

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My Song is Love Unknown

I’m so thankful for modern hymnwriters.  I’m also thankful for those who can take an old hymn and set it to new melody – or just take the old melody and make it to where you want to sing it today.  Usually that means different set of instruments or more emotion in the voice.

This song is fairly new to me, since we’ve been going to our new church here in the ATL area.  It was written in the 1600s.  That’s old.  Well, old compared to most hymns. Most modern churches won’t sing it.  But, I love it.  This version is my husbands favorite of the song.  While I love Fernando’s version with the incredible harmonies.  The lyrics are so rich and have so much depth of the gospel in them.

And keeping with the personal pronoun theme, I love how the song ends – speaking of our time in Heaven:

This is my Friend, in Whose sweet praise
I all my days could gladly spend.