"When the music fades
And all is stripped away
And I simply come
Longing just to bring
Something that's of worth
That will bless your heart
I'll bring you more than a song
For a song in itself
Is not what You have required
You search much deeper within
Through the ways things appear
You're looking into my heart
I'm coming back to the heart of worship
And it's all about You
All about You, Jesus
I'm sorry Lord for the thing I've made it
When it's all about You
It's all about You Jesus"
- Matt Redman
The song was not meant to be a Christian anthem. It was simply how Matt Redman explained what happened to him during the time in which his church literally removed music from their services.
The pastor of the church asked the congregation, "When you come through the doors on Sunday, what are you bringing as your offering to God?" Was it about the experience of the service or was it really about coming into the Father's House and spending time worshipping Him?
The story is relevant to me because it begs the question, "What do you bring when you spend time with Him?"
Am I bringing Him my "list" of things that need to happen in my life or am I really taking that time to shut off the world and my mind so that I can be with Him?
Did you ever notice how noisy it gets in your head when you try to shut down? All the thoughts and questions and sounds....Every one of them intended to distract you.
In Gary Moon's book, "Falling for God, Saying Yes to His Extravagant Proposal", there are meditations, Bible studies and exercises at the end of each chapter. One of the meditations asks you to sit quietly, silence your mind and to release any attachments in life that distract you from spending time with Him.
When I did this exercise this morning, I immediately struggled with the deafening silence of my home. No TV, no computer, no Blackberry chirping, not even the NOISY refrigerator.....Just the sound of the snow melting outside.
The very first thing that came to my mind involved all the "things" that I have in my life that produce distraction and noise. When I think about life even 15 years ago....How did we exist without a cellphone, text messages and email accounts? How did we function without Twitter and Facebook and not knowing the coming and goings of all our friends and family? Confession of course, I do have a Facebook page and a Blackberry and I do love technology. :-) I think you get my point.
The second thing that came to my mind are all the things that I use to keep God at an arms length. You've heard the phrase, "stuffing your stuff"? God immediately brought to the front that I use poor eating habits and lack of exercise to stuff my emotions.
You see, part of the thawing process is dealing with emotions and during the thawing process, there is exposure. Exposure of things hidden and light shown into dark places. Exposure is not a bad thing, but it does cause us to look inward and see where we are not receiving the best that He has for us.
The other part of the meditation that Gary Moon shares is about receiving. Receiving from God, our provider, His comfort and just being quiet enough to be still and listen to what He may have to share with us, His children.
Ever been given a compliment? Most of us have....How do you respond? Do you say, "Thank You!"? Or, do you find yourself, like me, saying something negative to offset the compliment? Hmmmm....I find that it's easier to strive and hard for me to receive, in general.
I know in my heart though that God wants me and all of us to receive Him. He can't wait for us to come to Him and just spend time in His presence for it's in His presence and in the silence that He speaks to us and renews our hearts!
In the story of the Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32), Jesus tells the story of the a man who has two sons. The younger son asks his father to give him his portion of the family estate as an early inheritance. Once received, the son promptly sets off on a long journey to a distant land and begins to waste his fortune on wild living. When the money runs out, a severe famine hits the land and the son finds himself in dire circumstances. He takes a job feeding pigs. He is so destitute that he even longs to eat the food assigned to the pigs.
The young man finally comes to his senses, remembering his father. In humility, he recognizes his foolishness, decides to return to his father and asks for forgiveness and mercy. He, at that point, was willing to be a hired hand on his father's land.
But you know what was so precious to me?
The father was watching and waiting for the sons return! He received his son upon his return with open arms of compassion and celebration.
The same is so true of our Father and us. When we choose to shut off the world and our minds and spend time fellow shipping with Him, He receives us and in that process, restores us. We were meant for Him and He for us.
He loved us so much that he restored relationship with us through His very own son, Jesus Christ. That whosoever would believe would have life and life everlasting. Such a precious sacrifice but, we are that precious to Him.
So, today, as I listen to the snow melt and the ground thaw, I am going to ask myself what I bring to Him and in that, receive what He has for me. Moreover, I will remember that it's already been done and that there is no need to strive to achieve things that are important here....It's not about the stuff.....It's about the journey that He's called me to and about my willingness to walk and at times be still so that I can follow Him.
Blessings,
Sheri
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